Thomas Tuchel calls defeat against Argentina agony

England national team head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted that the painful World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina felt like a true "death" for him. In an interview for the FA’s documentary 'Reflections: England's World Cup Journey', the German tactician stated that he takes full responsibility for the tactical errors during the match. This defeat became one of the most painful moments for the English in the tournament. This is reported by Goal.com .

Despite Anthony Gordon putting the English ahead early in the match, the South Americans turned the situation around in the second half to snatch victory. Previously, Tuchel had attributed this failure to the country's players' traditional problems with ball control. However, the coach changed his perspective, admitting that the main reason was his own tactical changes.

Tactical error and team fatigue

Tuchel explained that the players were physically exhausted after difficult travel across multiple time zones and high-altitude conditions. The situation at the start of the second half and Djed Spence's struggle for the decisive ball caused panic in the team. Fearing they could not withstand the opponent's pressure, the coach decided to switch to a 5-4-1 formation.

“We lost a situation before the cooling break. I thought: ‘We can’t cope with this, this is like death’,” says Tuchel. In his opinion, it was too early to switch to a defensive game, and this decision allowed the Argentina national team to gain control on the pitch.

Painful memories and the future

The coach admitted that he still hasn't been able to watch the match in its entirety. He only reviewed short clips with his coaching staff at St. George's Park last week. Tuchel emphasized that this defeat has left an indelible scar on his heart and that of the entire team.

“It is an unparalleled level of agony. I am seeing it for the first time through the eyes of the commentators. This is my scar, the players' scar, and I have to live with it,” the coach added. For the England head coach, this analysis is expected to be an important step in avoiding such mistakes in the future.