Thomas Tuchel insisted he had “no regrets” – but the Football Association is already conducting a thorough review of his performance after England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. The 2-1 loss at Atlanta Stadium, where Anthony Gordon’s early lead was wiped out by a quickfire double from Lionel Messi and co, has reignited familiar questions about the German’s tactics.
Tuchel admitted his side “got too passive” after scoring first, a weakness Argentina ruthlessly exploited. Wayne Rooney was among those pointing the finger, arguing England retreated too deep too early. The manager, however, remains defiant: “Yes, 100 percent,” he replied when asked if he was still the man to lead England into Euro 2028. “I’ve loved it here. I loved every day.”
“FA to review Thomas Tuchel after England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, with the German defiant over his future.”
That tournament – a European Championship on home soil – is now the immediate target. Tuchel signed a two-year contract extension before the World Cup, with FA chief executive Mark Bullingham revealing a performance-related clause. The review, led by John McDermott and the technical department, will assess both the manager’s role and the campaign as a whole. Whether Tuchel retains the same level of support remains to be seen.
The semi-final heartache was a brutal end to a tournament that had offered real hope. Just days earlier, Jude Bellingham had dragged England past Norway in a gripping quarter-final. Trailing to Andreas Schjelderup’s cross-cum-shot, Bellingham scored a brilliant equaliser before pouncing on a spilled shot from Morgan Rogers in extra time to win it. Tuchel had urged his players to “release the handbrake” – and Bellingham did exactly that, moving to six goals and into contention for the Golden Boot.
But the Norway performance was far from cohesive, and the pattern repeated itself against Argentina. Now England face France in Saturday’s third-place play-off, a consolation after a collapse that felt painfully familiar. As Spain prepare to meet Argentina in the final, Tuchel must convince the FA his project remains on track. The review will decide whether he gets the chance to prove it.
