6 England: Thomas Tuchel finishes third at World Cup but fans left scratching heads after bizarre tactical shift
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England finished third in the 2026 World Cup after a 6-4 win against France, prompting criticism regarding manager Thomas Tuchel's tactical choices. Analysts questioned why England played with such aggression only after being eliminated from title contention.
Why it matters
The match sparked a debate among fans and pundits about whether England's conservative tactics in earlier rounds cost them a chance at the trophy.
England beat France 6-4 to finish third at the 2026 World Cup on Saturday, with Thomas Tuchel implementing a far more aggressive approach than in the semi-final against Argentina.
Declan Rice struck from distance to give the Three Lions a 1-0 lead in the early stages of the match, before Ezri Konsa doubled their advantage before the 20th-minute mark.
Two Bukayo Saka strikes just before the interval ensured the Three Lions headed into the break with a 4-0 lead, though two goals from Kylian Mbappe and one from Bradley Barcola meant the French only trailed by one by the time the second hydration break ended.
France never found an equaliser, and though they did score a fourth, it was sandwiched between two more goals for England.
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