Overview
- England lost 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi‑final on Wednesday when Enzo Fernández levelled in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez headed the winner in stoppage time.
- Manager Thomas Tuchel replaced goalscorer Anthony Gordon with Ezri Konsa and later Declan Rice and Reece James with Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn, changing to a back five that removed England’s attacking outlets.
- After Gordon’s goal England held only about 12% possession before the equaliser, a statistic used by critics to show how much territory and momentum the team surrendered.
- The Football Association has confirmed it will not sack Tuchel and he remains under contract through Euro 2028, while Tuchel defended his calls, accepted responsibility and said he had no regrets.
- The public and pundit backlash keeps pressure on Tuchel ahead of Saturday’s third‑place match and raises questions about his mandate and ability to rebuild trust before the home Euros.