England's pursuit of a second world title is over. The Three Lions were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup after a 1-2 defeat to Argentina in the semi-final played on Wednesday 15 July in Atlanta. Thomas Tuchel, under fire for his tactical calls, hit back at critics by pointing the finger at the "DNA" of English football.
The contest remained evenly poised for long spells thanks to England's opener, which put them 1-0 ahead. Argentina then swung it their way, overturning the scoreline to win 2-1 — a result that sends them through to the final.
The head coach admitted his disappointment at a loss sustained from a winning position, but defended his decisions. "In that moment my feeling was no structure in the world could have helped us," Tuchel said, describing a side that became too passive and not physical enough once the opponents turned up the pressure. His comments fuelled the debate back home, with some voices even calling for his dismissal.
