Thomas Tuchel launched a furious attack on the match officials after England’s chaotic 3-2 World Cup last-16 win over Mexico, declaring: “The referees are just not good enough.”
The England head coach was incensed by two VAR interventions that shaped a breathless contest at the Azteca Stadium – one that reduced his side to 10 men and the other that handed Mexico a penalty to set up a nerve-shredding finale.
“Thomas Tuchel slammed World Cup referees as 'not good enough' after England's 3-2 win over Mexico.”
“It’s just not good enough,” Tuchel told BBC Sport. “The referees are just not good enough, fourth officials are just not good enough. That’s the bottom line.”
Jude Bellingham had put England 2-0 up with two goals in as many first-half minutes, but Julian Quinones pulled one back just before the break. The game exploded in the second half: Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute after a VAR review showed he went in on Jesus Gallardo with his studs up – a decision former assistant referee Darren Cann called “100% a red card”.
Harry Kane restored England’s two-goal lead from the penalty spot, but Mexico were awarded a spot-kick of their own after referee Alireza Faghani was sent to the monitor and judged that Kane had clipped Brian Gutierrez. Raul Jimenez converted to make it 3-2.
Tuchel questioned why the VAR team – which he believed consisted of three South Americans – had intervened. “VAR overturns a clear and obvious mistake for the penalty? Absolutely not,” he said. “He didn’t even give the foul, then he overturned a decision that he didn’t give as a foul.”
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, however, felt all three key calls were correct. “I think the referee has come to the right decision on all three,” he told BBC One.
Tuchel also aimed a dig at Faghani over the 11 minutes of added time, saying: “At the end it was 11 minutes and he gives two corners to make it 12… everything went against us, we didn’t give in.”
England now face Norway in the quarter-finals – but the fallout from a night of high drama in Mexico City is only just beginning.