Former England captain Wayne Rooney has blamed manager Thomas Tuchel for the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England appeared on course for the final after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead, but Argentina staged a late comeback with goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to book a place in the final against Spain.
Speaking after the match, Rooney criticized Tuchel’s tactical approach, arguing that England became too defensive after taking the lead.
“Once we got the first goal, we did not look to go for the second goal.
“For the players, and for me, Thomas Tuchel made the decision, and when you make the decision it is a gamble. The gamble he made was to go with five at the back, which allowed them to dictate the game.
“The decisions that Tuchel has made cost us tonight,” Rooney said.
