Is Thomas Tuchel at Risk of Losing England Job After World Cup Semifinal Defeat?

England’s excitement about reaching a World Cup semifinal for the first time since 1966 was quickly overshadowed by disappointment. Fans point to manager Thomas Tuchel as a key reason for the loss against Argentina.

Leading 1-0 late in the match, England conceded two goals assisted by Lionel Messi, resulting in a 2-1 defeat and a painful drop to the third-place playoff. Expectations were high for a trophy, but tactical choices during the game left many supporters frustrated and calling for Tuchel’s removal.

Will England Dismiss Thomas Tuchel?

Currently, there is no official word from the English Football Association about firing Tuchel after this loss. Despite fan dissatisfaction with his World Cup debut as England's coach, he remains backed by the FA. After the semifinal, Tuchel admitted to the BBC that the team became too passive after scoring.

“We got too passive after we scored and conceded a lot of chances. We could not turn ball possession around and conceded so many crosses and shots,” Tuchel said. “We couldn’t keep the level up after we scored. We couldn’t get out. Of course, we wanted to go for the second goal. It was not a structural problem, we changed nothing after the goal.”

Mike Keegan, Daily Mail Sports chief reporter, shared that Tuchel still has full support from FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and will stay on through the 2028 Euros.

Performance Highlights and Fan Reactions

England’s World Cup run showed inconsistency. They opened strong with a 4-2 win over Croatia but struggled afterward, drawing 0-0 with Ghana and narrowly beating Panama 2-0, only scoring late in the match. Knockout rounds were tense; they trailed nearly 70 minutes against DR Congo and faced an early deficit versus Norway, needing two goals from Jude Bellingham to advance.

Tuchel’s defensive decisions during the Argentina match sparked debate. He waited until the 72nd minute to bring on defensive players, then shifted to a five-defender formation after conceding. Fans questioned whether the change came too soon or too late, generally agreeing it didn’t work out.

On Fox Sports, Tuchel explained his substitution strategy:

“I did also offensive substitutions in the last games, we just tried to help the players. We conceded [a chance] straight away and we decided to go to a back five because the gaps were far too open.”

Tuchel’s Record with England

Before the loss to Argentina, England had lost only once under Tuchel since he took charge in December 2024. His record stands at 16 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, according to FotMob.

Despite the recent setback, the FA appears committed to keeping Tuchel as England’s manager, at least through the next European Championship in 2028.