Julian Daily – US President Donald Trump has weighed in on England’s heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, questioning head coach Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions after the Three Lions surrendered a late lead.
England appeared to be on course for a place in the World Cup final after Anthony Gordon fired them ahead in the 55th minute. However, Tuchel’s decision to adopt a more defensive approach proved costly. The German manager switched to a back five and eventually had six defenders on the pitch as Argentina mounted relentless pressure before scoring twice in the final five minutes, plus stoppage time, to book a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.
The defeat has sparked widespread criticism of Tuchel’s game management, with many pundits and fans arguing that England became too defensive after taking the lead, allowing Argentina to dominate possession and dictate the closing stages of the match.
Now, President Trump has joined the debate.
Speaking on Friday at a FIFA reception in New York, Trump questioned England’s tactical approach and suggested the team became overly defensive despite having one of the world’s top attacking players.
“You have a great player in England, who I played golf with,” Trump said. “You know that, right? He is Harry, who’s been fantastic.”
Referring to England captain Harry Kane and Tuchel’s tactical adjustments, Trump added:
“I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player.”
He continued by suggesting England should have maintained a more attacking mindset after taking the lead.
“What do I know about soccer?” Trump said. “They took the lead, and they took their best player, and they put him on defence.”
“We got to be a little offensive, right? But no, I’m not gonna call it… Look, what do I know about coaching?”
Trump concluded his remarks by praising Kane personally, saying:
“I thought that was a little unusual, but Harry is a great guy actually.”
England’s dramatic collapse means Argentina will now face European champions Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final in New York, with the South Americans aiming to successfully defend their world title.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico and is the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams, expanding from the previous 32-team format.
Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hinted that future editions of the men’s World Cup could expand even further to 64 teams. The next tournament is currently scheduled to be hosted in Saudi Arabia in 2030.
