"National team manager's terrible tactics ruined the World Cup" — Shocking revelation of internal division within the squad... UK 'explosion of anger'

*This content was translated by AI.

The shocking elimination from the World Cup has put the national team itself on the brink of disintegration. Voices of dissatisfaction have erupted within the squad over manager Thomas Tuchel's (Germany) tactical choices, triggering widespread repercussions.

British media outlet 'BBC' reported on the 17th (Korean time), "Following England's narrow 1-2 defeat to Argentina in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final, England's defensive retreat has become a major topic of discussion." It added, "This issue is now a heated point of debate among the squad led by manager Tuchel."

The outlet further revealed, "According to multiple sources, several key players expressed strong dissatisfaction with England's tactics in the second half of the match."

Local reports indicate that at least three veteran players voiced intense private complaints about England's passive approach during the latter stages of the game.

In the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina, England led 1-0 until the 10th minute of the second half, standing on the verge of reaching their first World Cup final in 64 years since 1966.

However, to protect the lead, Tuchel deployed five defenders and adopted a defensive stance, which instead invited Argentina's relentless offensive surge and ultimately resulted in a painful late comeback defeat.

Even an English legend expressed anger. Wayne Rooney, a 'BBC' commentator, directly criticized Tuchel's tactical failure. Rooney stated, "This defeat started with the manager and his decisions," strongly condemning the tactical blunder as the decisive cause of the loss.

Within the squad, there appears to be a shared understanding that the timing for replacing the manager and adjusting tactics came too late, causing the defensive line to drop excessively deep. A source told 'BBC', "England retreated into an overly defensive posture far too early." The outlet noted, "Some players expressed deep regret over the manager's instructions, arguing they should have maintained more aggressive forward pressure until the final moments of the second half to relieve physical strain on the defense and push Argentina away from goal."

As the situation escalated, Tuchel took to local UK media to address the controversy directly, but his comments only fueled further debate. He defended himself by saying, "We structurally became too defensive. Using a five-back formation was intended to more actively block the flanks, not to sit back defensively."

He continued, "England should have maintained possession and applied pressure," yet added, "Controlling the game and dominating the ball is not part of our DNA like it is for Spain, Argentina, or Brazil. That is a major problem," leaving remarks that seemed to shift blame toward the squad's inherent tendencies.

Originally, the Football Association (FA) entrusted Tuchel with the role, highly evaluating his tactical capabilities as the right person to break the losing streak of past runner-up finishes under former manager Gareth Southgate and lead the team to victory. However, Tuchel has been engulfed in controversy over tactical failures on his first global stage since taking charge. Locals anticipate that rising player dissatisfaction will surface, causing England to face significant challenges with an uneasy tension between the manager and the squad during Euro qualifiers.

Meanwhile, FA executives including CEO Mark Bullingham continue to express confidence in Tuchel. The FA plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the team's performance at this World Cup and the internal conflicts surrounding the defeat against Argentina immediately after all scheduled matches, including the third-place playoff against France set for Saturday, are completed and the squad returns home.

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*This content was translated by AI.