England’s defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final hasn’t gone down well with legends like Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville and Michael Owen. The former Three Lions stars lashed out at manager Thomas Tuchel for making defensive moves after taking a 1-0 lead, saying the German coach really cost the side big time on the massive night. England appeared to be in control when Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, raising hopes of the nation’s first World Cup final appearance since 1966.
However, Argentina responded strongly, with Enzo Fernandez restoring parity before Lautaro Martinez completed the turnaround.
Rooney argued that Tuchel’s tactical choices played a decisive role in England missing out on a place in the final. He believed that the game changed after England took the lead, arguing that Tuchel’s decision to adopt a more cautious approach surrendered control of the match.
“Once we got the first goal, we didn’t look to go for the second goal. The decisions that Tuchel has made cost us tonight. It was too passive,” Rooney said on the BBC.
“The gamble he made was to go with five at the back, which allowed them to dictate the game. Top managers counteract what is going on and don’t go even deeper. What they do is go more front-footed and try to change the game’s tempo and rhythm. I think he got it wrong. Against this team, the world champions, you will not get away with it. This has been the biggest test, and we have failed it,” he added.
Micah Richards shared a similar view, claiming England’s defensive mindset after Gordon’s goal allowed Argentina to dictate proceedings and gradually take command of the semi-final.
“For all their effort, they have been outstanding, digging in at the right moments and getting over the line. But you have to look at the manager and his decisions. They made it too easy for Argentina in that second half,” he said.
What did Neville say?
Gary Neville also criticised England’s mentality, suggesting the defeat reflected a recurring problem in major tournament knockout matches, where promising positions have too often slipped away.
“It’s about mentality and belief for England, and a bit of quality to keep the ball,” Neville said on the Overlap.
“I can’t believe how many times I have seen this from England in a tournament,” he added.
Michael Owen analyses the game, saying England lost the attacking intent that had earned them the advantage. He compared their display with Spain’s semi-final win over France, arguing that true composure under pressure comes from maintaining possession.
“Watch Spain at 1-0 last night. That’s courage. That’s bravery. And then watch England at 1-0. What’s the difference? We are a better team than Argentina, I have no doubt in my mind. But we deserved to get beat in the end. In fact, it could have been 4-1. Bringing on 3 defenders at 1-0 up. What message does that send? I wrote it in my Daily Mail column after the Mexico game. Until we understand that courage and bravery is controlling possession under pressure and not booting / heading it up the field 40 yards then this will always be the end result,” Owen wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Following the defeat, England will take on France in the third-place play-off, while Argentina advanced to face Spain. Argentina has the opportunity of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully retain the FIFA World Cup trophy.
