Tuchel takes responsibility for England's World Cup exit, says team not yet at France, Spain, Argentina level

England head coach Thomas Tuchel accepted responsibility for his side’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, telling a press conference he had no regrets about his tactical decisions, even though he acknowledged the team became passive after taking the lead.

Tuchel said criticism—including claims that his substitutions were "cowardly"—did not concern him, stressing that he takes full blame for the loss and that the defeat should serve as motivation to improve. He admitted England are still behind France, Spain, and Argentina in terms of quality, adding that the coaching staff is focused on improving the team’s performance under pressure and asserting control in matches.

He added that beating France in the third-place playoff would give England their best World Cup finish in 60 years, describing the match as an opportunity to prove the team’s abilities.