Thomas Tuchel has declared his unwavering commitment to guiding England at Euro 2028, emphasizing the need to discover the “Yes, 100%. There is still enough to improve and I am more than happy to do that. I’ve loved every day of the World Cup. “I said after the quarter-final win against Norway that I see a disconnect from what I see in training on a football level and within the games. We can impose ourselves more on the ball. We can show what good football players we are. That is still in us as I see it in training and in every camp. And here also at the World Cup. I still feel there is an extra level that we need to conquer. We need to step up to the next level to get the big prize.” necessary for success that his team missed out on during the World Cup.
The manager faces scrutiny after England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals in Atlanta on Wednesday. His decision to switch to a back five while leading 1-0 backfired, as Argentina capitalized on late opportunities to secure their place in the final against Spain.
Tuchel insists that the formation was not the primary issue; he pointed to a lack of aggression from the players after Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute. He expressed disappointment over England’s failure to control the game, suggesting it contradicts the team’s identity. The Football Association brought him on board to address such challenges, yet the team continues to face familiar setbacks.
Despite the criticism, Tuchel, who extended his contract in February to oversee the Euro 2028 campaign, remains resolute and has the support of the FA. When asked if he wishes to lead the team forward in the next two years, he affirmed.
“It is heartbreaking to be so close,”
He elaborated on his observations, stating, “The players and Thomas gave it everything and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament. I would like to thank them all.”
The FA expressed a degree of satisfaction with the team’s semi-final performance, acknowledging the challenging draw compared to previous tournaments under Sir Gareth Southgate, particularly facing a group that included Croatia and Ghana.
They recognized the potential difficulties of progressing from the last 16 to the final, which included a match in Mexico City’s altitude, as well as facing formidable teams like Brazil, Argentina, and Spain. Ultimately, it was Norway that England faced in the quarter-finals.
The governing body was also acutely aware of the logistical hurdles, especially the extreme heat and the travel demands. By the time England arrived in Atlanta for the Argentina match, they had taken their 13th flight since the tournament began, following a grueling Premier League season for many players. There is hope that co-hosting the upcoming European Championship will present a more manageable challenge.
Tuchel faced criticism for his decision to shift to a back five, opting to replace the speedy Gordon with an additional center-back, Ezri Konsa, in the 72nd minute. However, he contended that the issues began earlier, particularly after Gordon’s goal, when the team reverted to their usual 4-2-3-1 formation.
A pivotal moment occurred in the 64th minute when Argentina’s manager, Lionel Scaloni, substituted defensive midfielder Leandro Paredes for winger Nico González, transitioning to a more aggressive 4-2-4 formation. Scaloni’s strategy proved effective as he further attacked in the 81st minute, bringing in striker Lautaro Martínez, who ultimately scored the winner in stoppage time. During the period between Gordon’s and Martínez’s goals, England held only 12% of possession.
“We got too passive within our structure,” Tuchel reflected. “I tried to help … for us to actually be more active in a back five, to be quicker out to their wingers. We encouraged everyone to step out, to be more active but we just struggled. We couldn’t find any duels any more, which was why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan but it happened. We couldn’t stop the runners from the second line, the midfielders through our gaps. And their deliveries were on the highest level.
“We needed to get back on the ball otherwise you cannot break the pressure and you cannot get the momentum back. We just couldn’t cope with the momentum swing. Ball possession plays a crucial role. It’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or the Argentinian or Brazilian DNA – to take the ball and control the game.
“I tried to help … for us to actually be more active in a back five, to be quicker out to their wingers. We encouraged everyone to step out, to be more active but we just struggled. We couldn’t find any duels any more, which was why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan but it happened. We couldn’t stop the runners from the second line, the midfielders through our gaps. And their deliveries were on the highest level. “We needed to get back on the ball otherwise you cannot break the pressure and you cannot get the momentum back. We just couldn’t cope with the momentum swing. Ball possession plays a crucial role. It’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or the Argentinian or Brazilian DNA – to take the ball and control the game. “It’s also not a problem to defend deep. You can stay active. But we struggled. We struggled physically, as well. Through the whole tournament … playing in the heat, playing in the altitude [against Mexico] and with a man down [after Jarell Quansah’s red card]. It cost us a lot in the end. We gave everything but it was not enough. “My feeling is that no structure in the world could have helped us because we were too passive. We were not physical enough, we didn’t stop runs arriving in our box and the deliveries were then too good.”
