Thomas Tuchel has defended his substitutions and said he tried to help Englands players after the Three Lions spurned a second-half lead to lose 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals in Atlanta. After Anthony Gordons close-range strike in the 55th minute, Tuchels substitutions ensured the Three Lions had six defenders on the pitch when Enzo Fernandez scored from distance with five minutes of regular time remaining and Lautaro Martinez headed the 92nd-minute winner.The responsibility is on the coach, Tuchel told BBC Sport after his first competitive defeat as an international manager.If it doesnt go well, its easy to say that it was wrong. You can discuss this with a million coaches. I have to make a decision on the pitch. Its how I analyse the match and I made the decision.Table of ContentsWorld Cup 2026: How England were open vs ArgentinaEngland vs Argentina: Tuchel praises best matchWorld Cup 2026: England fixtures, scheduleWorld Cup 2026: How England were open vs ArgentinaLionel Messi set up both goals as Argentina advanced to the final against Spain in New Jersey on Sunday (20:00 BST).We were so close but we got too passive after we scored, conceded a lot of chances and could not turn the ball possession around, rued Tuchel.We couldnt keep the level up after we scored. I also [made attacking] substitutions in the [previous] games. We just tried to help the players.We decided to go to a back five because the gaps were far too open. [Argentina] won every header; they kept crossing and crossing. We couldnt get out.We couldnt win any balls, couldnt keep the ball. It was not a structural problem. We changed nothing after the goal, but the match changed completely.I can understand that these discussions are out there and, of course, [there are] millions of coaches after the game who know better.England vs Argentina: Tuchel praises best matchTuchel took charge at the start of 2025 with the ambition of winning the World Cup. At the moment, no regrets, said the 2020/21 Champions League winner as Chelsea boss.The team gave everything and we were very, very close. We deserved to be up 1-0 [and] played one of our better matches maybe the best match, under the circumstances.The game was tough and we couldnt bring it over the line.The German said he had no answer when he was asked whether fans had seen England play as he wanted, adding that he did not really know what that means.We saw the mentality throughout the match and the group, he suggested, calling group-stage opponents Croatia, Ghana and Panama strong.We played [while travelling] a lot of miles. We played at altitude, with 10 men [both against Mexico in the last 16], in the heat.We overcame every obstacle. Its not the moment now to analyse the full tournament. We just went out because we lost a crucial match.World Cup 2026: England fixtures, scheduleEngland will face France in the third-placed play-off in Miami on Saturday. Heres when the match starts in different territories.DateBST start timeETPTSat, July 1822:0017:0014:00In the UK, live TV coverage is on BBC One. Streaming on a vast range of devices is available through the BBC iPlayer app and BBC Sport website. Topics 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthony Gordon Argentina National Football Team Bukayo Saka Dan Burn Declan Rice Djed Spence Eberechi Eze Elliot Anderson England National Football Team FIFA World Cup Harry Kane Ivan Toney James Trafford Jarell Quansah John Stones Jordan Henderson Jordan Pickford Jude Bellingham Kobbie Mainoo Lionel Messi Marc Guehi Marcus Rashford Morgan Rogers Nico O'Reilly Noni Madueke Ollie Watkins Reece James Thomas Tuchel World Cup World Cup 2026 Add us as a preferred source on Google If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read England 1-2 Argentina: World Cup 2026 report, result, goals as Lionel Messi assists help holders reach final vs Spain Ben Miller 15th July, 2026 England v Argentina: World Cup 2026 text commentary, updates, goals and stats as it happened as Lionel Messi reaches final Jon Fisher 15th July, 2026 England vs Argentina live: World Cup 2026 semi final marred by too many fouls as Three Lions legend issues warning over Lionel Messi Ben Miller 15th July, 2026 England vs Argentina live: World Cup 2026 confirmed teams and full line ups as Morgan Rogers starts against Lionel Messi team, TV channel, online stream and stats Ben Miller 15th July, 2026 England v Argentina: Liverpool raise eyebrows with show of support for Mac Allister Nicholas McGee 15th July, 2026 When is the World Cup final 2026? Game date, confirmed time for FIFA showpiece including full halftime show details Ben Miller 15th July, 2026
