“People always speak after the game like coaching is easy,” Klopp stated when discussing the tactical fallout. “Like you just choose attack or defend and that’s it. It doesn’t work like this. Football is much more complex.”

“I see the criticism of Tuchel for trying to defend the 1-0 against, but let me tell you something: if he didn’t do that, if he kept pushing forward and they conceded the same people would be saying, ‘Why didn’t he control the game? Why didn’t he defend the lead?’”

Klopp knows a lot about losing

“In knockout football, whatever decision you make, someone will criticise you,“ Klopp concluded regarding the immense pressure. “I’m not saying every decision is perfect, but you have to understand the logic behind it. Managing a game at that stage is never simple.”

The German tactician speaks from a place of deep personal experience, having endured his own fair share of heartbreaking defeats throughout his illustrious career. And he was also given the opportunity to stay, just like Tuchel, who could also stay on as England manager for future tournaments.

During his transformative tenure at Liverpool, Klopp suffered painful losses in major continental finals, including Champions League heartbreaks and Europa League disappointments before finally tasting ultimate victory.

Has Klopp ever been a national team manager?

Despite frequently being linked to various high-profile international vacancies over the years, Klopp has never actually managed a national team. His entire legendary coaching career has been built strictly within the club game, spanning highly successful eras at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, and Liverpool.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Three Lions manager is secure for the time being: “Tuchel is safe in his job. There were clauses in his lucrative contract that could have seen both parties end their partnership had England exited the World Cup before the quarter-finals.”

The article, co-authored by Jack Pitt-Brooke, Oliver Kay, David Ornstein, and Laurie Whitwell, also details how Pep Guardiola was once in the running to lead England. However, that was years ago, and Guardiola ultimately decided to remain with Manchester City.

Does Tuchel have the roster to make another deep run at the 2030 World Cup?

The short answer is yes, England has more than enough talent to dominate heading into the 2030 World Cup. In fact, on paper, the squad depth they will possess by 2030 is terrifying strong with young players getting more experience in the upcoming years.

However, whether Tuchel will be the man leading them is a massive question mark, and the biggest obstacle to 2030 success isn’t the player pool, it is the tactical “DNA” of the team when the stakes are highest.

The beauty of England’s current cycle is that their biggest superstars are incredibly young. By 2030, the core of the team that suffered the heartbreaking 2-1 semifinal exit to Argentina will be in their absolute physical and mental primes:

• Jude Bellingham (will be 27) – Already a leader, he will be at the absolute peak of his powers.
• Bukayo Saka (will be 28) & Cole Palmer (will be 28) – Two world-class wingers/playmakers entering their veteran prime years.
• Phil Foden (will be 30) – Transitioning into a seasoned, highly experienced midfield orchestrator.
• Declan Rice (will be 31) – Providing the veteran defensive anchor.

“It’s easy to say my decisions were wrong after the defeat,” Tuchel stated, via Fabrizio Romano, and even doubled down. “Today we played one of our best games. Maybe our best game. We have no regrets. There are millions of coaches who know it better after a defeat. It was not a problem of structure. The match just changed completely. I make the decisions.”

England held a 1-0 lead until the 84th minute but adopted a passive approach, allowing Argentina to take control of possession and threaten Jordan Pickford’s goal. In the end, it all backfired as Lionel Messi led Argentina’s seven-minute comeback. Hindsight is 20/20, but the head coach’s decision looked risky well before Enzo Fernandez netted the equalizer and the Three Lions’ house of cards came crashing down.

“Unfortunately and strangely enough [our goal] came with a momentum shift. Argentina played with more risk. We suddenly played with a feeling that we had a lot to lose,” Tuchel said, per the New York Times. ‘We dropped into a deep block which isn’t a problem, but we struggled to win any duels or have any ball possession anymore.”

England are coming home (empty-handed)

Third time was no charm for the Three Lions. England have lost their third straight World Cup semifinal, and the dream has come to an end. Even though they are the founding fathers of the sport, England have won only one World Cup. For at least the next four years, that will remain the case. In the meantime, England will carry the second-longest World Cup drought among winning nations.

With Tuchel and England out of the 2026 World Cup, a historic trend will live on. In FIFA World Cup history, no foreign head coach has ever led a national team to a championship. The Three Lions tried to break that streak with a German manager but were ultimately tamed by the curse. Harry Kane was left gutted after England’s World Cup elimination, and Tuchel’s statement may not have served as much of a consolation.

The criticism of Tuchel centers on his decisions throughout the game. His choice to leave Marcus Rashford on the bench until it was already too late has not been forgotten. Nor has his decision not to play Bukayo Saka at any point during the semifinal against Argentina. His decision to position England’s attackers closer to their own goal than Emiliano Martinez’s is what enraged most fans. In the end, “parking the bus” only made life easier for Argentina.

England have one game left

Although their magical journey has come to an end, England must make one final stop before finally heading back home to Albion. England will play France in the third-place game on July 18 in Miami.

The Three Lions will enter the same stadium they left with a puffed chest after their quarterfinal win over Norway—this time, crestfallen. France won’t be much better off, as they are also coming off a painful defeat, though under very different circumstances.

While head coach Didier Deschamps will leave France after the 2026 World Cup, Tuchel will enter the game surrounded by speculation and a loud buzz over the decisions that changed England’s trajectory and sealed their fate. The Three Lions will indeed play all eight games of the World Cup, but they will do so in Miami—not at their ideal destination of New York/New Jersey.

Speaking after the match, Rooney questioned Tuchel‘s in-game management as England surrendered their lead late in the second half. According to BBC Sport, Rooney said: “I think the decisions Thomas Tuchel made have cost us tonight.”

England appeared to be on course for the final after taking the lead early in the second half, but Argentina completed a stunning comeback with two late goals to book a showdown with Spain in the World Cup final.

Rooney questions Tuchel after England’s late collapse

England broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon finished from a Morgan Rogers assist. However, Argentina gradually took control after Tuchel, who defended himself after England’s World Cup elimination, introduced more defensive changes, allowing Lionel Scaloni‘s side to push forward in search of an equalizer.

Argentina finally leveled in the 85th minute through Enzo Fernandez, who fired home after a short corner involving Lionel Messi, who led Argentina’s 7‑minute comeback.

Deep into stoppage time, Messi delivered another decisive contribution by setting up Lautaro Martinez, whose header sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory and sent the defending champions into the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

With the defeat, Harry Kane’s England will now face Kylian Mbappe’s France in the third-place match on Saturday, while Argentina will take on Spain with the World Cup trophy at stake.

Thomas Tuchel told Telegraph Sport that they will look to stop Messi, stating, “We will find a way to stop Messi.” Additionally, during press conferences, he revealed what he has considered to be the superstar. “It crossed my mind to do man-to-man defense. I do not know if we will do it or not,” Tuchel highlighted, explaining the reason behind potentially making that decision. “He sees things before everyone else.”

The German manager spared no praise for Messi, affirming that “his tournament has been incredible” and pointing out: “How he leads the team is incredible. There are no more words to talk about those achievements and the quality he shows. He is a leader and the key player for all the teams he plays for.” The matchup promises plenty of drama, though doubts remain after Scaloni indicated that he will make changes to the lineup.

England and Argentina fight for a spot in the final

Argentina and England will play starting at 3:00 PM ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winner is already awaited by Spain on Sunday in the final, while the loser will play on Saturday against France for third place.

Tuchel recognizes the level and magnitude of the matchup and knows that it will not be easy at all, but they know there is excitement and desire. “It is an exciting duel, it is something unique to play against the reigning champions and against Messi, it is simply a great match,” Tuchel affirmed during the press conference held at the stadium.

The England-Argentina duel always arrives loaded with symbolism, and Tuchel previewed the atmosphere: “The players are clear about what it means for both countries. It is a match that gave so many iconic moments, but as a manager, we focus on what we can control, and we do not talk about history, about iconic moments. The tension is already enough. We try to influence the players with what they have to do.”

The stakes could scarcely be higher, and not only because of the well-documented history with Argentina. England have played in just three World Cup semifinals, winning in 1966 against Portugal en route to glory, while losing to West Germany on penalties in 1990 and Croatia in 2018.

Following England’s hard-fought 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly criticized his team’s performance, citing a concerning lack of quality throughout the quarterfinal. When asked about his manager’s blunt feedback, Bellingham quickly brushed the comments aside and focused on praising his teammates’ resilience.

“Yeah, well, whatever,” Bellingham said when informed of Tuchel’s reaction. “It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift, and all the players put in a tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation go out to all the players out there putting in a great shift.”

Jude Bellingham delivers another world-class performance

Bellingham stood out as the match’s defining player, scoring both goals against Norway to surpass Zinedine Zidane in career World Cup goals. Once again, the Real Madrid star produced a dominant, world-class display when his country needed it most.

Tuchel readily acknowledged Bellingham’s individual brilliance, describing the midfielder’s outing as “world-class.” However, the manager maintained that the squad as a collective unit must perform at a significantly higher level in the next round.

Beyond his goals, Bellingham’s overall impact on the English squad remains transformative. He dictated the flow of midfield play and controlled the match’s tempo—serving as the primary driving force taking the Three Lions within one victory of the World Cup final.

During the postgame interview, a visibly frustrated Thomas Tuchel said “We were lucky today.” The head coach of England was clearly heated as he also spoke on the team’s mentality and how the team fell short of his own expectations.

Tuchel also added, “I’m not happy with the performance… we made life very very difficult for us in the way we played. Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough.” His statement was addressed by Jude Bellingham, who dismissed his comments with a clear, short message.

England won in every key stat vs. Norway

While Tuchel might not be happy, numbers don’t lie. Per SofaScore, England had more big chances, more total shots, more passes, more possession and more shots on target than Norway, who had a disallowed goal in the game.

Needless to say, Norway had a great tournament. For Tuchel to expect to just steamroll them is kind of unrealistic. However, the fact remains: while England made it to the final four, where they already await rival for the semifinals, they haven’t been as smooth as some would’ve hoped.

England also had some VAR decisions against them

Harry Kane scored a goal but VAR reversed it due to an offside. While it was a good call by VAR, it was a great play by England. Then, they got a penalty also called back by VAR after a Djed Spence play. If England had a bit more luck, this would’ve been a very solid performance all around.

Tuchel openly challenged the transparency of the process. “Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now?” Tuchel asked, pulling no punches about his frustration. “It is just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions. So, is our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice… we can now debate endlessly? I think it’s not a yellow card.”

England head coach’s comments echo a growing wave of skepticism sweeping through the tournament, with a sarcastic comments about Donald Trump talking to FIFA to lift the ban for Jarell Quansah, who was sent off in the game against Mexico. The fallout previously forced FIFA President Gianni Infantino to play damage control, publicly defending the integrity of the decision while admitting he received a personal phone call from Trump regarding the matter.

Belgium have already issued two formal statements, expressing that they are “deeply concerned” by a sudden paradigm shift that swings heavily in the USMNT’s favor. While Balogun is now fully cleared for the Round of 16 showdown, it remains to be seen whether Mauricio Pochettino will thrust him straight back into the starting lineup.

Switzerland join chorus of opposition over Balogun ruling

Standing in solidarity with Belgium, Switzerland have also taken a firm stance against FIFA’s unprecedented intervention. Swiss officials publicly warned that erasing the suspension sets a dangerous precedent, as the tournament reaches its most critical single-elimination phase.

Even UEFA has weighed in on the controversy, throwing its institutional support behind its European counterpart. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia didn’t hide his disdain either, offering a biting, sarcastic response when pressed on the ruling that directly impacts his game plan.

USMNT camp rallies behind FIFA’s reversal

Predictably, the mood inside the US camp is completely different. Team captain Christian Pulisic strongly defended the ruling, reiterating the squad’s internal belief that Balogun’s initial red card was a massive officiating error that never warranted a multi-game ban in the first place.

Alongside Pulisic, manager Mauricio Pochettino spent the week celebrating the roster boost after FIFA’s decision. Balogun stands as one of the Americans’ most lethal attacking weapons, and his availability fundamentally changes the tactical outlook for the USA against Belgium, a high-stakes fixture that has already finalized its refereeing crew.

He was asked specifically on Foden, Palmer, and Gibbs-White’s absence from the squad. Tuchel’s answer comes to one thing: balance. “There were difficult phone calls. For some of them, it’s just a positional thing to have a balanced squad so we don’t bring five number tens. Even if it was painful, I think it was the right call for England.”

And while that makes sense, the fact is Tuchel opted to still call three attacking midfielders. Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, and Morgan Rogers will have the task to convince the fans that not having Palmer, Foden, and Gibbs-White was the right call. While Harry Kane is still there, England’s 2026 World Cup roster shows 17 changes from Qatar 2022 squad.

Palmer and Foden provided other options too

While Morgan Gibbs-White is more of a traditional CAM, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden can also play as right wingers. Tuchel would rather call Noni Madueke, who only played 34% of the minutes available in the 25/26 Premier League than calling Palmer and Foden.

Still, the starting right winger will be Bukayo Saka, who is called to be the star that guides the Three Lions to their second World Cup win. Saka just won the Premier League with Arsenal, so he’s riding on high momentum coming into this tournament.

England’s attack has potential to light it up in the 2026 World Cup

It’s expected that Jude Bellingham starts at No. 10 for England. Saka will play on the right, while Marcus Rashford should get the starting spot in the left wing. Of course, Harry Kane will take the lead as the main forward.

Still, the options on the bench look good. Ivan Toney scored at will at the Saudi Pro League this season, and Ollie Watkins was prolific for Aston Villa. England should be confident on the firepower they have for this World Cup.

During the press conference, Tuchel addressed the Maguire situation. “I was surprised to read Maguire’s statement [saying he was shocked]. We had a private conversation and he had the chance to express his feelings. The decision is we stuck with the central defenders who carried us through the autumn”.

Whether fans agree or not with Maguire not getting called, the reality is Tuchel turned the tables on the defender. Also, he gave the explanation, Maguire wasn’t a part of the core that’s been recently selected.

Which defenders will go to the 2026 World Cup for England

The defenders that Tuchel called to play the 2026 World Cup feature Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah, John Stones, and Djed Spence.

It is a very young, new squad. Many of the players called are new to the scene and haven’t played in a World Cup yet. Still, it’s what Tuchel thinks he needs to get England their second World Cup in history.

Other notable omissions in England’s 2026 World Cup squad

Big-time names like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Fikayo Tomori, Luke Shaw, Lewis Hall, Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton, Jarrod Bowen, and Alex Scott won’t play in the World Cup. Arguably many of them should’ve made the list.

Now Tuchel is under a lot of pressure. If he fails to deliver, his job might be in jeopardy. Many will point to his 26-man list as the reason England failed. The German manager must bring the title home for the Three Lions… or else.

“I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision,“ Maguire revealed on his social media accounts. “I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer.”

Following Tuchel‘s stunning decision, anticipation is building over which players will make the final cut for England’s World Cup squad in North America. The decision raises eyebrows across the landscape, as several out-of-form players remain in contention for a call-up despite Maguire already being cast aside.

Stars like Phil Foden and Cole Palmer have both endured sluggish club campaigns, leaving genuine uncertainty about whether Tuchel will count on them for the tournament. Meanwhile, rivals are already locking in their squads, with Germany recently dropping their 26-man roster anchored by veteran keeper Manuel Neuer.

What to expect from Tuchel’s 26-man roster

According to The Guardian, while a core group of players have already secured their ticket to the World Cup, a handful of bubble candidates will have to wait until Friday morning to find out if their names are on the plane.

The British media outlet revealed that pillars such as Jude Bellingham, Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and captain Harry Kane are locked in to lead the Three Lions under Tuchel’s guidance.

Conversely, several high-profile names are still sweating on a roster spot. Along with the aforementioned struggles of Palmer and Foden, players like Reece James, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke remain on the bubble despite flashing elite potential in the Premier League over the past season.

When will Tuchel announce the 26-man roster?

According to England‘s media relations team, Thomas Tuchel will host a press conference on Friday, May 22 at 9:45 a.m. local time (4:45 a.m. ET). The FA will distribute the official roster across their digital and social media platforms before Tuchel takes questions from the press.