'A notorious defeat': World reacts to England’s shattered World Cup dream

‘A notorious defeat’ 

Sam Wallace, Daily Telegraph UK 

“Thomas Tuchel had tried to set up a team to defend the lead but the Argentina pressure was just too great. It was Lionel Messi who made the goals for Enzo Fernandez and then the substitute Lautaro Martinez. Tuchel had tried switching to his five-man defence – bringing on Dan Burn – that saw out ties against Mexico and Norway but it was not enough. The momentum was with Argentina and they simply finished off England. 

“This was shaping up to be a historic win; it ended up a notorious defeat. In the closing stages Tuchel tried to reverse his mistake by sending on Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford but the tie had slipped away.” 

‘The tone was clearly set in 1982’ 

Tim Spiers, The Athletic 

“We expected flashpoints, we expected argy-bargy and this game did not disappoint. 

“The tone was set before kick off. In fact, for some people the tone was clearly set in 1982 in the Falkland Islands, but in Atlanta at least, the barracking of both team’s anthems, particularly God Save the King which was completely silenced by a brutish cacophony of jeering and heckling.” 

Argentina's players show a banner that claims the Falkland Islands. Photo / AFP 

‘England’s destiny is tournament heartbreak’ 

David Hytner, The Guardian 

“England’s destiny is tournament heartbreak. The only question concerns when it comes and how the fates will contrive to make it as painful as possible. This was an implausibly brutal new low. 

“Thomas Tuchel’s team had fought fire with fire on an occasion that was overloaded with shredded nerves. The first half was a physical fight; it was gripping all the same. And the possibilities seemed endless for England when Anthony Gordon put them in front shortly after half-time. A first appearance in the World Cup final since 1966 looked on. 

“Argentina were not finished. There has been a feeling during this tournament that they are beatable and yet nobody has beaten them. There is a reason for that. Their champion courage. They dug deep into it in the closing stages to complete one of their greatest fightbacks. That it came against England, the old enemy, made it even sweeter.” 

‘You have to look at the manager’ 

Micah Richards, BBC 

“Thomas Tuchel was brought in to be the difference. Tactically, we all thought he got it wrong today. When we went to five at the back. I thought we could have kept the momentum going and brought on wingers. Ultimately, we didn’t have the answers. 

“When England scored that first goal they should have gone for the second. Yes, you respect their quality, but dropping deep allowed Argentina to get into their flow. 

“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.” 

‘Played his cards very early’ 

Alan Shearer, BBC 

“[Thomas] Tuchel played his hand. He wanted to hang on. We were hanging on against Norway and Mexico but they haven’t got the same quality as Argentina. 

“He played his cards very, very early, Thomas, in the hope that England could hang on, and it’s backfired. But those decisions are the ones that make such a difference. 

“We were praising him for what he did, going to five at the back, in the previous two games when England were under huge pressure. Now I guess we’ve gone the other way and are thinking: ‘Could he have just changed something different and put a bit more pace on?’ Because everything was coming back at England. They didn’t have an outlet, because whenever they won the ball they had no energy. They were physically and mentally done once Argentina got that first goal.” 

England coach Thomas Tuchel "played his hand early". Photo / AFP 

‘Bellingham became an irrelevance’ 

Rob Smyth, The Guardian 

“England sat too deep after going ahead, then compounded the problem by taking off Anthony Gordon. It meant they had no pace at all in attack; no threat on the break or simple outball. With the way the game developed, Harry Kane and to a lesser extent Jude Bellingham became an irrelevance. It feels weird to type that but it’s true. 

“Argentina may well have won regardless, because they responded to going behind with a focus, intensity and quality that were pretty awesome to watch. But if Thomas Tuchel had his time again, he’d surely do things differently. 

“It’s also possible that Tuchel didn’t want England to sit that deep, then switched to a back five when he realised they were on their last legs.” 

‘England made a surprising decision’ 

Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic 

“Argentina were not the disorganised and lackluster team we saw throughout the knockout stage. Scaloni’s side were highly organised against England and relatively clean on the ball. It’s attack came to life after Gordon’s 55th-minute goal as England made a surprising decision to sit back and allow Argentina to take hold of the match. 

“When Enzo Fernandez’s long-distance strike sailed past Jordan Pickford for the equaliser, the shift in momentum was fully established. Messi, who had been relatively contained, understood that England had essentially given up on trying to play. Messi found the ball where he is most effective: near the opponent’s penalty area. He got his touches and his teammates buzzed around him.” 

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is beaten by the long-range shot of Argentina's Enzo Fernandez. Photo / Getty Images 

‘One of the greatest comebacks’ 

Vince Rugari, Sydney Morning Herald 

“Look, it’s maybe a bit soon to make this sort of call, since that only just happened. But this is one of the greatest comebacks I’ve EVER seen. In a game this big, two goals so late? Absolutely incredible from Argentina. 

“England are paying the price for Thomas Tuchel’s decision to go too defensive, too early. After Gordon’s goal, they’ve sat back too deep, Argentina have had all the ball, all the momentum, and to some degree this has felt inevitable because of that.” 

‘A goal or assist in 11 straight World Cup games’ 

Mark Ogden, ESPN 

“Lionel Messi, who assisted the first goal, again played supplier for the second. His cross to the far post was met by substitute Lautaro Martinez, who headed the winning goal into the net from close range in the second minute of stoppage time. 

“Messi now has 10 assists in the World Cup knockout stage, at least six more than any other player in at least the last 60 years. And the 39-year-old has recorded a goal or assist in 11 straight World Cup games dating back to 2022, extending the longest such streak since at least 1966.” 

Argentina's Lautaro Martinez scores his side's second goal in the World Cup semi-final against England. Photo / Getty Images 

‘Argentina unleashed all manner of dirty tricks’ 

Frankie Christou, Daily Telegraph UK 

“England’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina was dominated by the South American team’s constant attempts to get under the skin of Thomas Tuchel’s side. 

“From late tackles to challenges off the ball and trying to get Harry Kane sent off, Argentina unleashed all manner of dirty tricks to live up to their billing as masters of the dark arts.” 

‘Messi took control’ 

Oliver Kay, The Athletic 

“He had made relatively little impact on the game. There were moments of skill and invention — there are always those moments — but England’s defenders had contained his threat. 

“And then, as against Egypt here last week, Messi took control. He didn’t score either goal, but he made them both, drawing defenders too him and picking out an unmarked Enzo Fernandez to score from distance for the equaliser and then producing a wonderful cross – with his right foot, no less – to pick out Lautaro Martinez for the winner.” 

‘Retreating into their own third’ 

Ryan Rosenblatt, ESPN 

“It’s harsh to put a loss entirely on one person, let alone someone who wasn’t even on the pitch, but it’s difficult to point blame at anyone other than Thomas Tuchel. 

“The England manager responded to going 1-0 up by immediately retreating into their own third. They started allowing Argentina to walk the ball into the final third and gave them all the time in the world to play balls in. 

“At first, you wondered if the England players were simply responding to the desperate attacking of Argentina, but Tuchel’s substitutions made it clear that the Three Lions were simply doing as they were told. 

“Centreback after centreback was subbed onto the pitch, to the point that they were defending with four centrebacks and two fullbacks.”