Thomas Muller has questioned England’s defensive approach after the Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal, wondering why that team put pressure on them as the holders.
England appeared to be on track to make their first World Cup final since 1966 when Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the 55th minute in Atlanta. However, the Three Lions were unable to take advantage as Argentina struck late on, with Enzo Fernandez equalising in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez clinched a late stoppage-time winner in a thriller.
Muller criticised England’s tactical approach in a video he recorded on his Instagram account, saying that their decision to sit deep allowed Argentina to dominate the closing stages of the game.
"I do not believe and understand how England approaches this game, especially after they were leading (1-0). I cannot understand to invite the whole Argentinian team to hit one cross after the other in perfect crossing positions. I cannot understand," Muller said.
His comments were in line with the views of many football pundits and fans who felt England became too defensive once they were in the lead, instead of attempting to take control of the ball or push for a second goal.
The England manager Thomas Tuchel has been criticized for his defensive substitutions after Gordon's opener. In the 72nd minute, he replaced the goalscorer with defender Ezri Konsa and switched to a back-five formation. He later brought on Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly as well as Reece James and Declan Rice to strengthen the defence but reduce England's attacking quality.
The tactical shift allowed Argentina to dominate possession and constantly attack England’s penalty area.
The pressure finally paid off in the 85th minute when Lionel Messi found Enzo Fernandez with a smartly worked short corner. From the very outside of the box, Fernandez hit a wonderful shot past Jordan Pickford to equalize.
Argentina’s momentum was still strong and they were pushing for a winner by the end of the game.
Messi then once again proved himself in stoppage time. The Argentine captain charged up the right flank and delivered a perfectly weighted cross into the six-yard box where Lautaro Martinez escaped his marker and scored the crucial goal to complete a dramatic comeback.
The victory put Argentina in their seventh FIFA World Cup final and kept alive their hopes for defending the title they won in Qatar four years earlier.
Messi finished the match with two assists, once again highlighting his impact on the biggest stage. His vision and creativity turned a difficult semifinal into another memorable victory for Argentina.
For England, the defeat was yet another painful World Cup exit and now they have not made it to the final since winning the title in 1966. The result has also fuelled criticism over Tuchel’s tactics and critics say England surrendered the initiative by retreating too soon.
Argentina will face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on 19 July at the New York-New Jersey Stadium, while England will meet France in the third place playoff as they try to complete the tournament in a better way.
