A number of England players — among them several senior figures — were left puzzled by manager Thomas Tuchel's decision to make defensive substitutions during the World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, Sky Sports News has learned.
Those players believe the changes ultimately worked against England rather than improving their position on the pitch, though there is no indication of any rift or animosity within the squad towards Tuchel.
The substitutions that sparked debate
England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, whose goal was set up by Morgan Rogers on the right wing. But within 17 minutes of that strike, with Argentina gaining momentum and England retreating deeper, Tuchel replaced goalscorer Gordon with Ezri Konsa and shifted to a back five — with more than 30 minutes still remaining.
Ten minutes later, Declan Rice — who had battled illness and fitness concerns throughout the tournament — was withdrawn in favour of Nico O'Reilly. The move left England with six defenders on the pitch, four of them centre-backs.
Harry Kane also dropped back to assist in defence as waves of Argentina attacks, led by Lionel Messi, battered the England rearguard.
Players who harboured reservations about the approach felt that England were left without an outlet: no target man to hold the ball in forward areas, and no pace on the flanks to relieve the defensive pressure. Throughout FIFA World Cup 2026, England had targeted Argentina's full-backs as a vulnerability and had deployed quick wingers to exploit them.
Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, and Eberechi Eze remained unused on the bench. Marcus Rashford eventually came on in the 96th minute — by which point England were already 2-1 down, following late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez that completed Argentina's comeback.
Between Gordon's opener and Martinez's stoppage-time winner, England managed just 12 percent possession.
Tuchel's explanation
Speaking after the match, Tuchel acknowledged he had not yet reviewed the footage but maintained that the core issue lay within English football's system — arguing that England's players struggle to retain possession under sustained pressure compared to their Spanish, Argentinian, and Brazilian counterparts.
He defended his tactical shift to a back five as an attempt to reduce the number of crosses entering England's penalty area and to limit Argentina's space after the South Americans introduced left winger Nico Gonzalez and moved Messi to the right in a 4-2-4 formation.
Those inside the squad who disagreed felt the opposite effect was achieved — England found it progressively harder to breathe, hold the ball, or pose any threat going forward.
No rift in camp
It remains unclear how England's players have received Tuchel's remarks about weaknesses in English football's DNA. What is clear, however, is that no breakdown in trust has occurred. Tuchel remains a highly respected and authoritative presence within the squad.
He also retains the full support of Football Association leadership, and has publicly committed to remaining in charge through Euro 2028, which England will co-host alongside Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.
