Thomas Tuchel will not be sacked following England’s painful exit from the World Cup. The manager’s tactical decisions during Wednesday’s 2-1 semi-final defeat against Argentina have faced intense criticism, but he is expected to stay on as England head coach.
The Three Lions appeared on course to reach their first men’s World Cup final since 1966 when Anthony Gordon scored early in the second half to put England ahead. However, Tuchel’s defensive substitutions allowed Argentina to build momentum, leading to two late goals that broke English hearts. Despite the backlash, Tuchel retains the full backing of the Football Association (FA) and is expected to see his contract through to Euro 2028.
The FA had handed Tuchel a contract extension ahead of the tournament to cover the upcoming European Championships, which will be hosted on home soil by England, Wales, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland.
Following the agonizing loss in Georgia, the England squad flew back to their tournament base in Kansas City. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham praised the manager and the team, saying, "It is heartbreaking to be so close. The players and Thomas gave it everything today and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament." Bullingham also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the fans in the USA and at home, sharing their deep disappointment at not progressing further.
England still have one final match to play in the tournament, facing France in Miami on Saturday for the third-place play-off. Tuchel admitted that motivation is difficult for such a fixture, stating, "Nobody of these [England] players, nobody of French players wants to play this match.
They want to play in the final. We gave everything to be in the final." He added, "Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but it is what it is. We have for a day less and to recover, but we will do it professionally, of course."
Reflecting on the mood in the dressing room, Tuchel said he did not say much to the players immediately after the whistle. "Nothing what you say in the dressing room can take away the pain or the disappointment, of course," he explained. "We all know these moments, so I said let’s take it with respect, let’s digest it first.
Accept that we gave everything. That is a big part in a defeat. Did we give everything? 100 per cent we did, and I think the fans will realise that and do realise that. The second of all is to bounce back, to react. That’s what you have to do on highest level in sports. It’s what is demanded and what we will do."
In other football developments, discussions are already underway predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for. Meanwhile, the Premier League has issued a statement explaining why Tottenham Hotspur were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds.
The decision denied the Spurs midfielder James Maddison a big moment on his return from injury. The Premier League has explained that as the clock ticked down, the penalty was not given, leaving fans and pundits debating the call.
