Donald Trump questions Tuchel over Kane’s role in England defeat to Argentina
United States President Donald Trump has questioned England manager Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions following the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final.
England surrendered a second-half lead in Atlanta after goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, both created by Lionel Messi, cancelled out Anthony Gordon’s opener and sent Argentina into the World Cup final against Spain.
Speaking alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino at an event in New York, Trump suggested England’s approach after taking the lead contributed to their elimination.
Trump questions Kane’s positioning
Trump referred to England captain Harry Kane, whom he said he had previously played golf with, and expressed surprise at the striker’s defensive role during the closing stages of the match.
“You have a great player in England, who I played golf with. You know that, right? Harry, who’s been fantastic,” Trump said.
“I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player.
“What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence. We have got to be a little offensive, right? But I’m not going to call it. What do I know about coaching? It was unusual, but Harry is a great guy, actually.”
Tuchel defends tactics
Tuchel dismissed the criticism while insisting England defended as a team rather than asking Kane to play an unfamiliar role.
“Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case or…? I was just asking,” Tuchel said.
“In which situation did Harry play too deep? What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes? Well, we defended in a deep block.”
“The team spirit, the togetherness, the mentality that this team built in the last six and a half weeks is not to be questioned.”
The England manager admitted his side became “too passive” late in the game but maintained the players remained committed throughout the contest.
England will now face France in Saturday’s third-place play-off, while Argentina take on Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Despite criticism following the semi-final defeat, reports indicate Tuchel retains the full backing of the Football Association and is expected to remain in charge through to Euro 2028.