Former Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has criticized England manager Thomas Tuchel, saying his defensive approach played a major role in the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England appeared on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon put them ahead early in the second half. However, Argentina responded strongly, with Enzo Fernandez equalizing before Lautaro Martinez scored a dramatic late winner to seal a comeback victory.
Speaking during Fox Sports’ World Cup coverage alongside former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry, Ibrahimovic argued that Tuchel’s tactical changes handed the momentum to Lionel Scaloni’s side.
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According to the Swedish football icon, England abandoned their attacking approach after taking the lead, allowing Argentina to dominate possession and dictate the closing stages of the encounter.
“England stopped playing,” Ibrahimovic said. “Tuchel made some changes and went too defensive, while Scaloni became more offensive. At one point, England even had six defenders on the pitch. Tuchel didn’t play the cards right, and Argentina showed that football is about how you finish, not how you start.”
Ibrahimovic also noted that Tuchel had intended to introduce Marcus Rashford to exploit Argentina on the counterattack, but the equalizer forced England into a more cautious setup. Rashford and Ivan Toney were eventually introduced during stoppage time, but the changes came too late to alter the outcome.
The victory sends Argentina into the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where the defending champions will face Spain after the European side defeated France in the other semi-final. England, meanwhile, will turn their attention to the third-place playoff as they seek to end the tournament on a positive note.
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