Is England Considering Firing Thomas Tuchel After World Cup Semifinal Defeat?

England came close to reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 but suffered a tough defeat against Argentina. Leading 1-0 after 84 minutes, the Three Lions conceded two goals assisted by Lionel Messi, leading to a painful loss and a disappointing third-place match. Fans have pointed fingers at manager Thomas Tuchel, questioning his tactics and decisions as key reasons for the setback.

Will Tuchel Lose His Job?

Currently, there is no sign that England's Football Association plans to dismiss Tuchel following the 2-1 loss to Argentina. Many supporters, however, expressed frustration with Tuchel’s first World Cup campaign in charge of England. After the match, Tuchel told the BBC that the team became too passive after scoring and struggled to maintain possession or defend effectively.

"We got too passive after we scored and conceded a lot of chances. We could not turn ball possession around and conceded so many crosses and shots," Tuchel said. "We couldn't keep the level up after we scored. We couldn't get out. Of course, we wanted to go for the second goal. It was not a structural problem; we changed nothing after the goal."

According to Mike Keegan, chief sports reporter at Daily Mail Sports, Tuchel still has full support from FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and is expected to remain England’s manager through the 2028 European Championship.

England’s Mixed World Cup Performance

England began the tournament with high hopes but showed uneven form throughout. They won their opening group match 4-2 against Croatia but then drew 0-0 with Ghana. A 2-0 victory over Panama saw a slow start, with the first goal only coming in the 60th minute. The knockout rounds revealed further struggles: they trailed against DR Congo for much of the game and needed two goals from Jude Bellingham to overcome Norway in the quarterfinal.

Questionable Tactical Choices Against Argentina

In the semifinal, Tuchel delayed defensive substitutions until the 72nd minute. After Enzo Fernandez scored for Argentina, England switched to a five-defender setup. This move was widely debated by fans and analysts, who found it either too early or too late and ultimately ineffective.

Tuchel explained on Fox Sports, "I did also offensive substitutions in the last games, we just tried to help the players. We conceded [a chance] straight away and we decided to go to a back five because the gaps were far too open."

Tuchel’s Record With England

Since taking charge in December 2024, Tuchel's record with England includes 16 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, according to FotMob. Their most recent defeat before Argentina was a 1-0 loss on March 31. Despite the World Cup disappointment, the FA seems committed to keeping him at the helm for now.