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Thomas Tuchel fired back at President Donald Trump's criticism of his tactical decisions in England's World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina, dismissing the president's comments with a question about his credibility as a football analyst.
Trump had weighed in on Tuchel's second-half approach during a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York on Friday, questioning why England captain Harry Kane had been asked to take on defensive responsibilities after the team took a 1-0 lead, with the tactics prompting backlash from several English stars.
"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 defense."
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"We got to be a little offensive, right? But no, I'm not gonna call it. What do I know about coaching? I thought that was a little unusual, but Harry is a great guy actually," he said.
Asked about Trump's comments, Tuchel responded with a dismissive line of his own. "Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case?" Tuchel said.
He went on to defend Kane's positioning as a natural consequence of the team's defensive setup rather than any tactical error, saying, "That's what you do if defend in a block. That's what team spirit and mentality is translated to. If we are pushed back in a deep block then Harry defends in a deep block."
He added: "It is our scar that we carry, as coach, as players. It is a very painful defeat which we have to carry, not the critics, not the experts."
Trump's comments added to a wave of criticism Tuchel has faced since Wednesday's 2-1 defeat, in which England led through Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal before retreating into an increasingly defensive shape, eventually deploying six defenders as Argentina scored twice in the closing stages.
Enzo Fernandez leveled the score in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez headed home a stoppage-time winner off a Lionel Messi assist, sending Argentina through to Sunday's final against Spain.
Kane finished the match with 26 touches, one shot off target, six defensive interventions, and two duels won, while his heat map showed him spending roughly equal time in his own penalty area as in Argentina's.
His most notable defensive contribution came in the buildup to Elliot Anderson's 37th-minute booking, when Kane made a maximum effort to track back and challenge Messi before Anderson's late tackle brought the Argentine down.
Despite the backlash, reports have indicated that Tuchel retains the support of the Football Association and is expected to remain England's manager through Euro 2028, having previously signed a contract extension through that tournament.
Trump and Kane have publicly discussed playing a round of golf together roughly 18 months ago in West Palm Beach, a connection Trump referenced directly in his critique of the England captain's tactical role.
