Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has blamed England manager Thomas Tuchel for his side's dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Oliseh describes the German coach's game management as one of the worst seen at the tournament played across three countries in North America.
England looked to be on course for their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966 after taking the lead early in the second half at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday. However, two late Argentina goals in the final seven minutes completed a stunning comeback and sent the defending champions into Sunday's final against Spain.
The first half was tense and physical, with both teams struggling to create clear chances as the score remained 0-0 at the break. England finally broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Morgan Rogers delivered a deep cross to the far post. Anthony Gordon arrived at the perfect moment to sweep the ball beyond Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and give Tuchel's side a deserved 1-0 advantage.
Instead of pushing for a second goal, England gradually retreated into a defensive shape. Tuchel switched to a deep 5-4-1 system, replacing attacking players with defenders Ezri Konsa and Dan Burn.
The tactical change allowed Argentina to dominate possession. England managed only 12% of the ball after the substitutions and completed just seven passes inside Argentina's half as Lionel Scaloni's side launched wave after wave of attacks.
The biggest talking point came in the 83rd minute when Tuchel withdrew Declan Rice. The midfielder had spent much of the game disrupting Argentina's midfield rhythm, but his exit left England without a player capable of holding possession or relieving the pressure.
Only two minutes later, Argentina found their breakthrough. Lionel Messi calmly picked out Enzo Fernández, who fired a powerful strike from outside the penalty area beyond Jordan Pickford to level the match.
With England pinned deep inside their own box, Argentina completed the comeback in stoppage time. A cross into the area caught England's defence flat-footed, allowing Lautaro Martínez to slip between John Stones and Ezri Konsa before heading home the winning goal in the 92nd minute.
Oliseh slams England's Tuchel as Argentina prepare for Spain showdown
Watching the dramatic finish, Oliseh did not hide his frustration with England's tactical approach.
The former Nigeria captain wrote on X:
“One of the worst-managed games in World Cup history. Leading 1-0 with over 25 minutes left, and you park the entire bus inside your own box? Pulling the lone striker deep invited relentless pressure. When you stop playing and only defend, a 2-1 heartbreak is inevitable.”
He later expanded on his criticism while replying to another user on the social media platform.
“Defending a 1-0 lead at the semifinals is logical. But it is amateurish and shockingly naive to not have the possibility to play out when you eventually have possession.”
The defeat ended England's hopes of reaching the World Cup final and leaves Tuchel's side to face France in the third-place playoff.
Argentina, meanwhile, have booked a place in the final against Spain on Sunday, July 19, at the MetLife Stadium, officially rebadged for the tournament as the New York New Jersey Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. WAT).
The reigning champions are chasing a fourth FIFA World Cup title and hoping to become the first men's team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the trophy. Spain, who defeated France 2-0 in the other semi-final, are aiming to win the competition for only the second time after their historic triumph in South Africa in 2010.
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