England’s dream of reaching their first men’s FIFA World Cup final since 1966 ended devastatingly after a dramatic late collapse against reigning champions Argentina.
The Three Lions appeared destined for Sunday’s final after Anthony Gordon fired them into a deserved 55th-minute lead in Atlanta. However, two late goals from Argentina turned the contest on its head, with Enzo Fernández equalising in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martínez headed home a stoppage-time winner, both created by Lionel Messi.
Instead of booking a showdown with Spain in New York, England were left to reflect on another painful near miss and serious questions over Thomas Tuchel’s tactical approach.
England Retreat After Taking Control
After Gordon’s breakthrough, England looked increasingly content to protect their narrow advantage rather than push for a second goal.
The decision invited relentless Argentine pressure, with the statistics highlighting just how deep England retreated. From the moment they took the lead until Martínez’s winner, England managed only 12% possession, allowing the world champions to dominate the closing stages.
Rather than introducing attacking reinforcements to relieve pressure, Tuchel opted for defensive substitutions. Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Nico O’Reilly were all brought on after England went ahead, while attacking options Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney were not introduced until deep into stoppage time by which stage Argentina had already seized control.
The conservative strategy ultimately proved costly as Lionel Messi’s creativity unlocked England’s defence twice in the closing minutes.
Rooney Criticises Tuchel’s Decisions
Former England captain Wayne Rooney believes the defeat stemmed from the manager’s tactical choices rather than the players’ performances.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Rooney said England became overly passive once they took the lead.
“We have crumbled. It started from the manager and the decisions he made. It was too passive.”
He added:
“Against this team, the world champions, you will not get away with it. This has been the biggest test and we have failed it.”
Rooney suggested England abandoned the aggressive approach that had earned them the lead, allowing Argentina to dictate the tempo during the decisive stages.
A Missed Opportunity
England had executed their game plan effectively for much of the match, frustrating Argentina before Gordon’s goal rewarded their attacking intent.
However, rather than building on that momentum, the Three Lions retreated into their own half and focused almost exclusively on protecting the advantage.
Against a side boasting the quality of Messi, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez, that approach carried enormous risk.
Argentina’s equaliser arrived with five minutes remaining, and England struggled to regain composure before Martínez completed the turnaround in the 92nd minute.
Questions for Tuchel
The defeat is likely to intensify scrutiny of Tuchel’s in-game management, particularly his decision to prioritise defensive solidity instead of maintaining attacking pressure.
Whether England should have continued pressing for a second goal or managed possession more effectively will remain a major talking point following another painful World Cup exit.
For Argentina, the comeback secured a place in the World Cup final against Spain. For England, the wait for a first men’s World Cup triumph since 1966 goes on, with another campaign ending in heartbreak after coming agonisingly close to the biggest stage.
