Tuchel accepts blame but stands by England tactics
Thomas Tuchel shouldered the responsibility for England’s World Cup semi-final exit but refused to regret his decisions, speaking in Miami ahead of Saturday’s third-place play-off against France. “If you need someone to blame, I take the responsibility. I’m the head coach,” the German said at his final pre-match news conference of the tournament.
England were minutes away from reaching their first men’s World Cup final for 60 years. They led 1-0 against Argentina before late goals turned the match.
Argentina scored in the 85th and 92nd minutes to win 2-1. Tuchel described the loss as “the scar we carry now” and said he and his players felt the pain most of all.
No regrets over late approach
Asked whether he regretted his choices in the closing stages, Tuchel was clear. “If you’re asking if I regret my decision, if this is the question, then I don’t regret my decisions,” he said. He explained that he felt the momentum shift and acted on instinct, experience and competitiveness to help the team get the result.
On the final 35 minutes, Tuchel said he felt “the same way – that we were too passive”. England dropped into a deep block, and he noted captain Harry Kane ended up deep because “that’s what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough.” Argentina, he said, found “another gear and they found the total flow” against the reigning world champions.
Physical toll and the gap to the top
Tuchel accepted that data showing lower physical output against Argentina than in the DR Congo game reflected a real cost. He said the Mexico match with 10 men in Azteca Stadium’s altitude and the heat against Norway in Miami “cost us more than we maybe thought”, even if admitting it felt like an excuse.
The head coach said the defeat exposed a gap to the very top. “France, Spain, Argentina [are] almost there on that level that they expect to win. We are not there yet. There is still a gap to close,” he said, adding England would not stop chasing or challenging from tomorrow.
Looking to the France match
A win over France would give England their best World Cup result in 60 years, a perspective Tuchel highlighted. “If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years,” he said. The pain of the semi-final and the criticism of England’s defensive retreat were evident throughout the session, but Tuchel fronted the uncomfortable questions without shirking them.