Atlanta, 16 July (H.S.): Despite England's 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal, head coach Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that he will remain in charge of the national team and continue as England manager through UEFA Euro 2028. He also defended the tactical decisions he made during the semifinal.

Ahead of the World Cup, Tuchel had already signed a contract extension with the Football Association (FA), ensuring that he will lead England until the conclusion of Euro 2028.

Asked after the match whether he intended to continue as head coach, Tuchel said, First of all, the World Cup is not over yet. We still have a third-place match to play. Although it is not a game we were hoping to be involved in, it is one we must play. After that, we will move forward. My contract runs until the home European Championship in 2028, and I am still looking forward to that tournament, even though it is difficult to look ahead at this moment.

According to ESPN, the Football Association continues to have full confidence in Tuchel despite England's World Cup semifinal defeat, and he is expected to remain in charge through Euro 2028.

Tuchel Defends Tactical Decisions

England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina mounted a dramatic late comeback. Following a series of substitutions by Tuchel, England gradually adopted a more defensive approach, allowing Argentina to dominate possession and score twice in the closing stages.

In the 82nd minute, Tuchel replaced Reece James with Dan Burn and Declan Rice with Nico O'Reilly.

From the moment Gordon scored until Argentina netted the winning goal, England enjoyed just 12 per cent possession.

Responding to questions over whether his tactical decisions had backfired, Tuchel said, No, I don't believe that at all. That is simply the nature of football. The moment you lose, criticism begins. Nobody knows what would have happened if we had made different decisions, so there is little point in debating hypothetical scenarios. Those decisions were mine, and I take full responsibility for them. I will also accept the criticism that comes with them.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar