United States President Donald Trump has criticised England manager Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions during the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup, suggesting the German coach made a costly mistake by asking captain Harry Kane to adopt a more defensive role after England took the lead.
Speaking on Friday, Trump argued that England became overly cautious after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, allowing the reigning world champions to seize control of the match before completing a comeback that secured their place in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
The American president said England’s tactical shift took away the influence of one of the team’s most important players.
“You have a great player in England who I’ve played golf with. And he is Harry [Kane] who has been fantastic.
“I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence.
“We got to be a little offensive, right. But no, I’m not going to call it, what do I know about coaching? But that was a little unusual.”
Trump’s remarks came as criticism mounted over Tuchel’s second-half tactical adjustments following England’s opening goal.
The England manager introduced a more defensive formation by switching to a back five and bringing on players with defensive responsibilities in an attempt to protect the advantage.
However, Argentina responded strongly, with Lionel Messi playing a key role in inspiring his side’s comeback before they eventually secured a 2-1 victory.
Reports emerging after the match suggested that some England players were unhappy with the tactical instructions issued after the team went ahead, believing the side became too defensive.
Despite the criticism, Tuchel has defended his approach, insisting his decisions were made with the objective of preserving England’s lead against one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Trump also commented on another controversial moment during the competition involving United States forward Folarin Balogun.
Balogun had initially been suspended for one match after receiving a red card during the United States’ clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The suspension would have ruled him out of the Americans’ Round of 16 encounter against Belgium before FIFA later suspended the ban for 12 months, allowing him to remain available for selection.
The decision generated widespread debate among football fans and analysts.
Reflecting on the incident during a reception held at Trump Tower, the US president praised FIFA’s handling of the matter.
“This has been a tournament like no other. Filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments. Probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman… is it a red card?
“And I was forced to call Gianni [Infantino]. I said ‘Gianni, I’d like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game!’ No, I didn’t say that. I said I’d like to wage a complaint.
“And actually I had no idea what was going to happen, but you know it is so much better the way it worked out because there is no controversy. [Belgium] won the game and our team had all of its players. You made another great decision if you think about it, but you’ll never get credit for it.”
Trump also commended FIFA President Gianni Infantino for what he described as the successful organisation of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
According to the American leader, the competition has become one of the greatest sporting events ever staged.
Infantino echoed that view, describing the tournament as an extraordinary global success.
“The American dream, Mr President, came to reality. We united the world in America.
“This is not just the greatest World Cup of all times, it is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and we are all part of it and for this I thank you very much, Mr President.”
England’s hopes of lifting the World Cup ended on Wednesday after Argentina overturned an early deficit to claim a 2-1 victory in the semi-final.
The result booked Argentina’s place in the final, where they will face Spain for the championship.
Before England’s elimination, the White House had publicly expressed support for the Three Lions following the exit of the United States from the tournament.
