Tuchel grilled again: 'If it's easier for someone to take the blame, I take the blame'

England coach Thomas Tuchel found himself under fire from English journalists following the team's painful World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina. The manner of the loss, with Argentina dominating after England took the lead, has led to widespread criticism of Tuchel's tactical decisions, particularly his defensive substitutions.

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If it is easier for someone to take the blame, I take the blame. It is not a problem. I will not participate in finding someone to blame.

During a press conference, Tuchel was repeatedly questioned about the team's passive approach in the second half. He acknowledged that England became too defensive and that momentum shifted. "If you ask me if I regret it, I say no, I don't," Tuchel stated. "I felt we became too passive, that the momentum shifted and I tried to help my team. The decisions I made were based on my instincts, intuition, experience. I take responsibility, of course."

When pressed on whether the passivity was a player or coach responsibility, Tuchel offered to take the blame. "If it is easier for someone to take the blame, I take the blame. It is not a problem. I will not participate in finding someone to blame," he said. He described the loss as "our pain. My pain, the players' pain. We feel it most of all. It is our scar to bear. We have to live with the defeat, not with the experts and the critics."

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I take the decisions based on my instincts, intuition, experience. I take responsibility, of course.

Tuchel also addressed objective performance data that showed significantly lower physical output against Argentina compared to a previous match. He suggested that the team's exertions in earlier games, including playing in high altitudes and heat, contributed to their fatigue. Despite the ongoing debate in British media about his future, with polls showing divided public opinion, the English Football Association has publicly backed Tuchel, who is contracted until the 2028 European Championship. England now faces France in the third-place playoff.

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It is our pain. My pain, the players' pain. We feel it most of all. It is our scar to bear. We have to live with the defeat, not with the experts and the critics.