Group chats across the U.K. are firing off with commentary about England manager Thomas Tuchel’s decision to drop into a back five after Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions a 1-0 lead over Argentina in the 55th minute of the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup semifinal.
The conservative approach backfired, as Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored within seven match minutes of each other — both goals assisted by Lionel Messi — to stun England and walk away with a 2-1 win.
In the immediate aftermath of a generational loss, Tuchel stood firm on his tactical decisions.
“It was not a structural problem,” Tuchel said, per The Athletic’s James Pearce. “We played maybe our best game. No regrets.”
In a vacuum, there is no shame in losing to the defending World Cup champions, led by the greatest footballer to ever live. But England bottling it to the tune of 12% possession is a bitter end to what was previously an inspired World Cup run.
The Three Lions won Group L, as expected, but they showed incredible heart in the knockout stage: coming from behind against DR Congo, becoming just the third-ever team to defeat Mexico at the Azteca, and outlasting Norway in sweltering Miami heat.
“We played the matches how they were,” Tuchel said post-match, per the FOX broadcast. “We played against strong teams in the group. We had a lot of miles, a lot of traveling. We played at altitude. We played in 10 men. We played in heat. We overcame every obstacle. We were very, very close today.”
England fans are tired of being close. The Three Lions lost to Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semifinal. They lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy. They flamed out against France in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinal. They lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain. Now this.
England will have to gather themselves to face France in the 3rd-place match on Saturday, July 18, as the 60-year wait to bring the Cup home continues.
Argentina, meanwhile, will meet Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19. The Argentines are vying to become the first back-to-back men’s World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. La Roja of Spain are seeking their first men’s World Cup title since 2010.