Wayne Rooney has hit out at Thomas Tuchel’s tactical approach following England’s World Cup semi-final exit to Argentina, claiming the manager’s errors proved fatal.
England’s heart-breaking World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina is made all the more painful by the nature of the collapse. Leading 1-0, the Three Lions inexplicably abandoned their attacking impetus, allowing the ‘Albiceleste’ to lay siege to their penalty area. Thomas Tuchel looked to shut up shop with defensive substitutions, but the tactical shift failed to prevent a spirited comeback from Lionel Scaloni’s side.
Post-match, a defiant Tuchel refused to entertain any self-criticism. “I have no regrets… We played one of our best matches of the tournament, perhaps the best given the circumstances. The team were a ten out of ten,” the manager insisted, doubling down on his strategy despite a wave of condemnation from the footballing world.
Wayne Rooney was among the most prominent voices to lash out. The former Manchester United forward, who scored 53 goals in 120 appearances for his country, pulled no punches. “We have to be honest. The decisions Thomas Tuchel made have cost England dearly,” he told ‘BBC Sport’.
“We retreated and invited them onto us. They piled on the pressure and we eventually buckled. As soon as they scored the first goal, the second felt inevitable,” Rooney added in a scathing analysis.
The former striker accused England of lacking the courage of their convictions: “When you have the initiative, you have to keep it. We go 1-0 up, then we drop back, make substitutions and end up playing with five or six defenders. If you allow Messi and Argentina to pin you back, you are asking for trouble.”
Rooney also spared a thought for the travelling fans in Dallas: “These supporters have spent a lot of money to be here. I expected more from this game. The changes we made didn’t help; I am devastated. Sometimes you need a bit of luck to win these tournaments.”