England were leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon. There were minutes left, the match was under control, and Thomas Tuchel decided to take off the goalscorer and bring on a central defender. A back five, to close down spaces. The instruction was clear: take no risks.
Argentina did not forgive. Enzo Fernández equalized in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez completed the comeback in stoppage time, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. England were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup in the semifinals, and all eyes turned to the technical bench.
When asked about the substitution, Tuchel did not hang his head: “It’s easy to say” now that the result is already known, he replied. He said he takes responsibility for the defeat, but does not regret the decision he made at that moment. Would you have put Gordon back on the bench?