Argentina was left questioning the tactical choices of England manager Thomas Tuchel during Wednesday’s 2026 World Cup semifinal, a match that ended in a 2-1 win for the South American side. According to The Independent, the defending champions were surprised when Tuchel shifted to a defensive setup immediately after England took an early second-half lead.
The match was high-stakes and intense from the start, though the opening half remained scoreless despite the talent on both sides. The deadlock broke in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon beat goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to put England ahead 1-0. Following the goal, Tuchel instructed his squad to retreat into a deep defensive block to protect their advantage, further reinforced by defensive substitutions including Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, and Nico O’Reilly.
Seeing England’s hesitation to attack, Argentina ramped up their offensive pressure. Their persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Lionel Messi set up Enzo Fernandez for an equalizing strike. Refusing to settle for a draw, Argentina pressed forward with relentless attacks and dangerous crosses. Their efforts were rewarded in injury time when Lautaro Martinez headed in a decisive cross from Messi to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory.
