Head coach of the Three Lions, Thomas Tuchel, has explained that his decision to adopt a defensive approach in their semi-final clash against Argentina was aimed at closing spaces for the opponents and protecting England’s lead.

England eventually succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to the defending champions after Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring.

With about 30 minutes left to play, Tuchel switched to a back five and substituted Gordon and Declan Rice for defenders Nico O’Reilly and Ezri Konsa to strengthen the backline.

Messi magic fires Argentina into the World Cup final

However, the defensive strategy backfired as Lionel Scaloni’s men refused to surrender. Midfielder Enzo Fernández equalized with a well-taken finish, swinging momentum firmly in Argentina’s favor.

With extra time looming, Lionel Messi produced another moment of brilliance, delivering a precise cross that Lautaro Martínez headed home in stoppage time, sealing Argentina’s dramatic victory and leaving English fans dismayed.

Addressing criticism of his defensive approach after the game, Tuchel explained that he noticed Argentina gaining control and exploiting pockets of space in the penalty area, which prompted his decision to tighten the backline.

The German coach took responsibility for the setback but insisted it was not a structural flaw.

“We decided to go to a back five because the gaps were just too open. Of course, the responsibility is on the coach. If it doesn’t go well, it is easy to say it is wrong. There are millions of coaches who know it better after a defeat. It was not a problem of structure. The match just changed completely. I make the decisions,” he told journalists after the game.

SB/JE

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