Tuchel defends defensive substitutions after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final exit to Argentina

Thomas Tuchel has defended the tactical decisions that preceded England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina in Atlanta, saying he has “no regrets” despite widespread criticism of his late-game substitutions.

Anthony Gordon gave England the lead, but Tuchel’s choice to retreat into a 5-4-1 shape from around the 70th minute ultimately backfired. Argentina, the World Cup holders, capitalised on the space afforded to them and scored twice in the closing stages through Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to complete a stunning comeback.

England managed just 12 per cent of possession after taking the lead — a statistic that drew sharp criticism, including from Wayne Rooney, who said the team “crumbled” and placed responsibility squarely on the German head coach. Tuchel acknowledged his side became “too passive” but stood firm on the logic behind his decisions.

“You can discuss this with a million coaches — I have to make a decision on the pitch,” Tuchel told the BBC. “I analysed the match and I did it a certain way so that’s my responsibility. In the moment, no regrets. The team gave everything and we were very, very close.”

Tuchel pushed back against the notion that the collapse was rooted in a structural error, arguing that the problems began before any substitutions were made. “Straight after our goal, without any substitutions, we conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances so we tried to help,” he said. “We went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be strong in the air.”

He also acknowledged the mood of the moment while accepting the scrutiny that comes with it. “It’s no problem, I can understand these discussions are out there and there are millions of coaches after the game who know it better.”

England’s exit ends what Tuchel described as arguably the team’s best performance of the tournament, making the manner of the defeat all the more painful. “We played one of our better matches, maybe our best match in the circumstances,” he said. “We couldn’t get over the line but no regrets.”