England players left stunned by Tuchel's defensive substitutions in 2-1 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina

England’s World Cup campaign ended in a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina, with Thomas Tuchel’s in-game management drawing sharp criticism from within his own squad. According to The Telegraph, several England players were left bewildered by the head coach’s choice to bring on Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Nico O’Reilly after Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute.

Gordon, the Barcelona winger, broke the deadlock with a well-timed run into the box, guiding Morgan Rogers’ cross into the net to give England a deserved lead. Rather than pressing the advantage, Tuchel shifted England into a 5-4-1 shape in an attempt to protect the result — a tactic that had worked effectively against Mexico in the round of 16, but one that ultimately unravelled against a superior Argentina side.

The report suggests players inside the England camp felt Lionel Scaloni’s side were there for the taking and would have been more exposed on the counter-attack — precisely the kind of football that suits England’s strengths. Instead of introducing Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford or Noni Madueke to press the advantage on the wings, Tuchel held back his attacking options. Ollie Watkins also remained unused until England had already fallen behind, with Rashford and Ivan Toney only introduced after Argentina had turned the game around with two late goals.

Further frustration centred on the decision to replace Declan Rice with a defender rather than an out-and-out midfielder, while Kobbie Mainoo — unused for the entire tournament — again failed to earn a single minute.

Defending his decisions after the final whistle, Tuchel was unapologetic. “Millions of coaches after the game think that they know better,” he said. “I have to make a decision — it’s how I analysed the game. No regrets. The team gave everything and played one of our better matches, probably our best under the circumstances.”

Defender Marc Guehi was among those who indicated England should have maintained their pressure on Argentina following the opener, adding to the sense that the dressing room did not fully align with the head coach’s reading of the game.

England now face France in the third-place play-off, with Tuchel’s tactical judgment set to remain under scrutiny heading into that fixture and beyond.