Lineker jokes Tuchel is a 'German spy' sent to sabotage England after World Cup semi-final exit

Gary Lineker has joked that Thomas Tuchel is a “German spy” planted to derail England’s World Cup ambitions, while also raising serious questions about the manager’s future after the Three Lions fell to Argentina in the semi-finals.

Tuchel, the first German to manage England, had guided the side through a flawless qualification campaign and into the last four of the tournament. But his defensive approach against Argentina backfired badly, inviting sustained pressure that the South Americans eventually converted late in the game — a sharp contrast to the tactics that had worked against Mexico and Norway earlier in the competition.

Speaking on his Netflix show, Lineker said: “I just wonder whether Thomas Tuchel’s like a German spy, we’ve been infiltrated. I think Germany, because they’re not very good at the moment, they can’t get past the group stage, and I think they’ve sent in someone.”

Lineker was quick to clarify the remark was in jest, but his broader criticism carried more weight. “He said after the Croatia game, ‘if we lose, we’ll lose our way by playing aggressive, attacking football’ — he went totally against that, didn’t he? I think the most frustrating thing was this team had a chance if they’d gone for it, and they just got it so wrong.”

The former England striker stopped short of calling for Tuchel’s dismissal, but left the door open for a change. “Is he the right man to take us forward? I never ask for anyone to get sacked, I don’t think it’s the thing to do, but it depends on him and how he feels, and also how the FA feels.”

The dig at Germany’s international struggles carries some context. The nation that lifted the World Cup in 2014 has since endured a sharp decline, crashing out at the group stage in both 2018 and 2022, and most recently being eliminated by Paraguay in the Round of 32. That result cost Julian Nagelsmann his job, with Jurgen Klopp now tasked with rebuilding the national team’s standing.