Wayne Rooney didn't hold back. The England legend is absolutely livid after the Three Lions suffered a devastating 2-1 loss to Argentina in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday—and he's pointing the finger squarely at manager Thomas Tuchel.
England looked poised to reach the final, leading 1-0 until the 86th minute. But then Argentina struck twice in about 400 seconds, flipping the game on its head. The collapse has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with Rooney leading the charge.
“I’m absolutely furious because England didn’t lose this game due to a lack of talent—they lost it because they stopped believing in themselves. And that falls on the manager. Thomas Tuchel got it badly wrong,” Rooney said.
The former Manchester United star didn't mince words about Tuchel's decision to go into defensive mode late in the match, essentially parking the bus and inviting pressure from Lionel Messi and company.
“You’re one goal away from a World Cup final and instead of finishing Argentina off, you retreat, defend your own box and invite Lionel Messi to dictate the game. Against the greatest player of all time, that’s football suicide. You don’t survive against Messi by giving him more of the ball—you bury the game before he buries you,” Rooney added.
Rooney's frustration echoes the sentiment of many England fans, who have been calling for Tuchel's head after the crushing defeat. The manager's tactics have been widely panned, with some even branding the team "cowards" for their gutless collapse.
“I couldn’t believe what I was watching from the touchline. England looked terrified. Every substitution, every tactical change screamed fear instead of ambition. This England team is packed with players who dominate for the biggest clubs in Europe, yet they were told to play like underdogs protecting a miracle,” Rooney said.
The loss has left England facing a dreaded consolation match, with no desire for the third-place game looming. Rooney feels for the players, but insists the blame lies with the manager.
“I feel sorry for the players because they’ll carry this pain forever, but the truth is they were put in a position where they were reacting instead of playing. That’s not the England we’ve been building. That’s not how World Cup winners behave,” he said.
Rooney's critique is a stark reminder of what could have been for a generation of talent now left wondering what if. “When you have a generation this talented, failure hurts even more. This squad should have been preparing for a World Cup final. Instead, they’ll be left asking one question for the rest of their lives: what if we’d kept attacking?”
As England licks its wounds, the debate over Tuchel's future is only getting louder. For Rooney and millions of fans, the pain of this collapse will linger—and the blame is clear.
