AC Milan advisor and legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has laid the blame for England’s heartbreaking 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina squarely at the feet of Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel.
England was just minutes away from securing their first World Cup final appearance since 1966 after new Barcelona recruit Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock shortly after halftime. However, Tuchel’s decision to immediately retreat into an ultra-defensive shell backfired catastrophically, inviting relentless pressure from the reigning champions. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández leveled the score in the 85th minute, before Lautaro Martínez snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner to send Argentina to the final.
“They had six defenders on the pitch at one point… Tuchel didn’t play the cards right, and for Argentina, it’s not about how you start but how you end,” Ibrahimovic said.
Tactical retreat cost Three Lions historic final spot
Speaking on Fox Sports alongside Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, Ibrahimovic dissected the tactical decisions that turned the game in Argentina’s favor. He pointed out that England completely stopped playing once they took the lead, allowing Lionel Scaloni’s side to seize total control of the match.
The former Swedish striker highlighted a major breakdown in England’s tactical plan, noting that Marcus Rashford was originally slated to come on to exploit space on the counter-attack. Instead, Tuchel panicked after the equalizer, throwing on extra defenders and leaving the team with zero outlets up front. By the time attackers Rashford and Ivan Toney were introduced in stoppage time, the damage had already been done, condemning England to another painful World Cup exit.
