England manager Thomas Tuchel has accepted responsibility for the 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final earlier this week. The Three Lions are now gearing up to face France in the third place playoff, after Didier Deschamps’ side also suffered a semi-final loss, falling 2-0 to Spain.

If England secures a win tonight, it would mark their best World Cup performance since their victory in 1966. However, the aftermath of the defeat against Argentina has been met with significant criticism.

Tuchel faced scrutiny for his tactical approach, particularly after Anthony Gordon put England ahead, only for the reigning champions to stage a late comeback in the final five minutes.

Despite the backlash, Tuchel reaffirmed his stance, stating he has no regrets about his decisions during the match. In a press conference quoted by BBC Sport, he explained:

I took several decisions, trusting my instinct, my intuition, my experience, trusting my competitiveness. We didn’t get the result, so I take the responsibility for these decisions.

Tuchel acknowledged that England became too passive as Argentina found their rhythm, leading to a defensive strategy that allowed the opposition to dominate possession. He noted:

We played in a deep block. We were not active enough. We just became too passive, and Argentina found another gear.

Reflecting on England's performance, Tuchel emphasized the gap between his team and elite squads like Argentina and Spain. He remains committed to his role, aiming to bridge that divide and ultimately secure a trophy for the national team, following previous near misses in the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020.