Tuchel's Criticized Referee to Officiate England's World Cup Opener

French referee Clément Turpin has been appointed to officiate England's opening World Cup match against Croatia on Wednesday. Turpin's appointment comes despite past criticism from England's current coach, Thomas Tuchel.

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Two things couldn't keep up with the level, the pitch wasn't in good condition and also the referee, unfortunately, was Grade E.

Tuchel, then coaching Bayern Munich, was sent to the stands by Turpin during a Champions League quarter-final match against Manchester City in April 2023. After the match, Tuchel labeled Turpin a "Grade E" referee, stating, "I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level."

Turpin's officiating in that match was controversial, including showing a straight red card that was later overturned by VAR. Tuchel felt his team was unfairly disadvantaged, stating, "In the end, we were never in a position to turn things around with three men against us. That's a fact."

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I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level. He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us.

Despite the past criticism, Turpin brings significant experience to the role. He has previously refereed the 2021 Europa League final and the 2022 Champions League final. He also officiated England's 0-0 draw with Slovenia at the 2024 European Championship. England's Jude Bellingham also had a notable interaction with Turpin during a Champions League semi-final in 2024.

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In the end, we were never in a position to turn things around with three men against us. That's a fact.