Thomas Tuchel reveals where blame lies for England's World Cup collapse | OneFootball

Three Lions boss has faced huge scrutiny for his tactics and substitutions during heartbreaking late semi-final defeat by Argentina

Thomas Tuchel has defended the tactics used during England’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina, insisting there is a problem with English football’s “DNA”.

Tuchel has faced heavy criticism for the way in which his side allowed the holders to come from behind with two late goals to secure their place in a second successive World Cup final in Atlanta on Wednesday.

The England boss, who retains the backing of the Football Association (FA) despite mounting pressure on his job, has been accused of making overly defensive substitutions amid a negative approach as the Three Lions retreated into their own box before conceding to both Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.

Tuchel was brought in to try and get England over the line after a succession of near-misses under his predecessor, Sir Gareth Southgate.

Now, though, England are back to square one, having missed a golden opportunity to make their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966.

It has left Tuchel and the FA’s ‘win-now’ project at a crossroads, but he says he is determined to lead England into the 2028 European Championship, which will be held in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"In this moment, my feeling was no structure in the world could have helped us," Tuchel said.

"Because actually we were too passive and we were not physical enough, we didn't stop runners arriving in our box, and the deliveries were wrong too.

"I haven't seen the data yet, but I think just right after the goal, the momentum swings completely and ball possession drops dramatically. We couldn't find any duels anymore; that's why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan, but it happened.”

Tuchel went on to say that it was not in England’s DNA to be able to control possession under pressure the same way as Spain did in their semi-final victory over France.

"(We) couldn't stop the runners from the second line, the midfielders, through our gaps, and the deliveries were on the highest level. You need to get back on the ball; otherwise you cannot break the pressure, and you cannot get the momentum back,” Tuchel continued.

"I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA like it is in our Spanish DNA or in our Argentinian-Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball."

Ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA

Thomas Tuchel on England’s defeat by Argentina

Tuchel remained steadfast in his belief that replacing goalscorer Anthony Gordon, who gave England the lead in Atlanta after 55 minutes, with centre-back Ezri Konsa and reverting to a back five was not a negative move, but rather a reaction to growing Argentine pressure.

"We just get too passive within our structure and try to help,” he said. “Not to help in a back five, to become more passive, but actually to be more active, to be quicker out to the wingers, to not open up the gaps in between the back four.

“We encourage everyone to step out and to be more active within the structure, but we just struggle.

"We struggled a bit physically as well, I think, over the whole tournament, playing in the heat, playing at an altitude, playing with a man down and so on. It cost us in the end a lot."

No regrets: Thomas Tuchel insists that England played one of their best games against Argentina

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Tuchel’s job is not under scrutiny as things stand, though a thorough review of England’s World Cup campaign is set to take place at the FA after the tournament concludes this weekend, with England facing France in the bronze medal match in Miami on Saturday.

The former Chelsea coach remains keen to lead England into Euro 2028 and says he still has the appetite for the job after signing a two-year contract extension before the World Cup.

"One hundred per cent, and there's still enough to improve, still enough to improve and I'm more than happy to do that,” Tuchel said.

"I still think we can impose ourselves more on the ball, I still think we can still show how good football players we are.

“I think it's still in us because I see it in training in every camp and here also in the World Cup and I still feel there is an extra level that we need to conquer and we need to step up on the next level and then to get the big prize."