Tuchel: England not cursed
Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has criticised England manager Thomas Tuchel following the Three Lions’ dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England appeared destined for the final after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead early in the second half. However, Argentina staged a late comeback, with Enzo Fernández equalising in the 84th minute before Lautaro Martínez scored the winner in almost stoppage time.
Reacting to the result, Oliseh questioned Tuchel’s tactical decisions after England took the lead.
“One of the worst-managed games in World Cup history. Leading 1-0 with over 25 minutes left, and you park the entire bus inside your own box? Pulling the lone striker deep invited relentless pressure. When you stop playing and only defend, a 2-1 heartbreak is inevitable,” Oliseh said.
The former Nigeria captain admitted that protecting a narrow lead was understandable but insisted England should have retained possession better.
“Defending a 1-0 lead in the semi-finals is logical. But it is amateurish and shockingly naïve not to have the ability to play out when you eventually have possession.”
Yet Tuchel prefers to see the in football terms and not as a curse after a clash he described as two separate games.
England have not reached the decider since lifting the World Cup for the only time in 1966, and they looked like getting that monkey off their back until Argentina netted two late goals for a 2-1 win in the semi-final.
“I love to see these things in a football matter and not through football curses,” Tuchel told reporters. “I don’t believe so much in an English thing and in a curse or whatever, history repeating itself in these moments.
“It’s just like it’s different coaches, different players, different situations, different opponents. So I think basically I believe in the football thing.”
England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon but Argentina then seized control and Tuchel’s side failed to withstand the pressure or find a way to gain some possession.
“I think at that point of the match, it was deserved, that we take our moment and go 1-0 up,” Tuchel said. “Unfortunately, and strangely enough, it marked then a complete momentum switch in the game.
“Argentina played with more risk, played with more rhythm, played with a feeling maybe that they have nothing to lose anymore, which freed them up and held us back because we obviously played suddenly with a feeling that we have a lot to lose.
“I think it’s two completely different matches. It’s until the goal and then after the goal.”
Read Also: 2026 FIFA World Cup: Late extra-time goals propel Argentina into semifinals, defeat Switzerland 3-1
Tuchel received great praise for getting England this far, coming through tough battles with DR Congo, Mexico and Norway, but is already under fire for the changes made against Argentina after taking the lead and setting up too defensively.
“That’s just the nature of the game. As soon as you lose, you get criticised,” the German said.
“That’s just what it is. You get criticised after. No one knows what would have happened if you made different decisions. So it makes no sense to engage in that and lose my head. I’m responsible for them. I took them, so I take the criticism.”
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