England’s hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1966 are over after losing a semi-final to Argentina.
The Three Lions took the lead against the reigning world champions on Wednesday night as Anthony Gordon produced a clinical finish at the back post as he got on the end of a Morgan Rogers cross.
With five minutes of normal time remaining, Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez equalised before Lautaro Martinez scored in the second minute of stoppage time to break England hearts.
Thomas Tuchel will come in for criticism for his defensive substitutions after England had taken the lead and, naturally, attention will shift towards the German’s future as head coach.
Will Tuchel be sacked?
Thomas Tuchel is expected to stay on as England head coach and see his contract through to Euro 2028.
Tuchel is understood to retain the backing of the FA despite England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final in Atlanta.
He received a contract extension ahead of the World Cup and is expected to now lead England into Euro 2028, which is being hosted on home soil by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. The deal includes performance-related clauses that could reduce compensation if targets are not met.
While a shock exit to DR Congo in the last 32 could have placed his position in serious jeopardy, England’s challenging route through the tournament means Tuchel is not expected to face immediate pressure over his future.
Despite criticism over squad selection, those within the England camp believe Tuchel has been hampered by misfortune rather than poor planning.
The FA are thought to have been encouraged by the positive environment Tuchel has created. Players have praised his demanding but professional approach, while his rapport with supporters has grown during the tournament.
Chief executive Mark Bullingham has repeatedly expressed confidence in Tuchel, insisting the governing body remains committed to him through 2028.
“We do a full review after every tournament,” he told reporters. “You want to look at how well you’ve done, who are you drawn against, what was the mood in the camp, how were things going behind the scenes, and what was the complete package, and where did things go well, where they did not.
“We do still think of tournaments in blocks, but in effect you’re looking at 2028 and you’re starting six months ago and going ‘OK, what do we want?’
“We have a manager who we think is doing a really good job. Obviously, there’s tough tests to come, we’ll see how we go. But we’re very happy with everything behind the scenes, how it’s playing out, how he’s worked with everyone.”
