World Cup 2026: Owen Slams Tuchel’s Defensive Approach Against Argentina

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has slammed Thomas Tuchel for deploying ultra-defensive tactics in England’s 2-1 loss to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final.

Owen stated that after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, Tuchel’s substitutions were too passive and unnecessarily invited immense pressure.

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The former England striker insisted that retreating into a low block was the exact opposite of brave, directly handing the game to the reigning world champions.

Owen further pointed out that the team’s inability to retain possession or change the momentum after Argentina’s equalizer resulted in a total collapse.

“Dropping back and putting 11 men on the edge of your own box, and then just heading it wherever or kicking it as far as you can, that’s not brave – it’s the opposite,” he told BBC Sport.

“Football isn’t about getting a bloody nose and everyone saying that’s fantastic, it’s rubbish.

“I can get my local pub team to do that and that’s why we (England) lost out in this World Cup.

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“Celebrating that win over Mexico in the way we did was wrong. As a player, the minute that happens, you start to think ‘we’ve won.’ Subconsciously, when you go 1-0 up – what are the players going to think?

“Then the manager brings on three defenders. What message does that send to Argentina?”