Wayne Rooney Lashes Out At Tuchel Following England’s World Cup Defeat

England looked on course for a place in the final after taking the lead through Anthony Gordon strike in the 54th minute, but Argentina mounted a late comeback with goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez, both assisted by Lionel Messi to seal victory and book a place in New York for the World Cup final against Spain.

Reflecting on the defeat, Rooney questioned Tuchel’s game management, suggesting England became too passive after going ahead. The former England captain argued that inviting sustained pressure against a side of Argentina’s quality ultimately proved costly.

Thomas Tuchel had pulled off Anthony Gordon for Ezri Konsa in the 72 minute to protect the 1:0 lead. At the 82 minute of the game, the manager further brought on Dan Burn and Nico O’Reilly to replace injured Recce James and Declan Rice.

Rooney felt England abandoned their attacking approach too early, allowing Lionel Messi and his teammates to dominate possession and dictate the closing stages of the match.

The ex Manchester United man is of the opinion that, the Three Lions should have remained aggressive rather than retreating deep into their own half.

Despite the disappointment, Rooney praised the players for their commitment throughout the tournament but maintained that the tactical approach after taking the lead was the decisive factor in England’s elimination.

England will now turn their attention to the third-place play-off against France, while Tuchel faces growing scrutiny over the decisions that ended the nation’s hopes of lifting a first World Cup since 1966.