KB News Desk
ATLANTA (Reuters) — England’s long wait to win a Cup or even reach the final goes on after a loss to holders Argentina on Wednesday, but manager Thomas Tuchel prefers to see it in terms and not as a curse after a clash he described as two separate games.
England has not reached the final since lifting the World Cup for the only time in 1966, and it looked increasingly likely to happen until Argentina netted two late goals for a 2-1 win in the semifinal.
“I love to see these things in a football matter and not through football curses,” Tuchel told reporters. “I don’t believe so much in an English thing and a curse or whatever, history repeating itself in these moments.”
“It’s just like it’s different coaches, different players, different situations, different opponents. So I think basically I believe in the football thing.”
England took the lead in the 55th minute Anthony Gordon but Argentina then seized control and Tuchel’s team failed to withstand the pressure or find a way to gain some possession.
“I think at that point of the match, it was that we take our moment and go 1-0 up,” Tuchel said. “Unfortunately, and strangely enough, it marked a complete momentum switch in the game.”
“Argentina played with more risk, played with more rhythm, played with a maybe that they nothing to lose anymore, which freed them up and held us back because obviously played suddenly with a feeling that we have lot to lose.”
“I think it’s two completely different matches. It’s until the goal and then after the goal.”
Tuchel received praise for getting England this far, coming through tough battles with Congo, Mexico and Norway, but is already under fire for the changes made against Argentina after taking the lead and setting up too defensively.
“That’s just the nature of the game. soon as lose, you get criticized,” he said.
“That’s just what it is. You get criticized after. No one knows what would have happened if you made different decisions. it makes no sense to engage in that and lose my head. I’m responsible for them. I took them, so I take the criticism.”
England now has the unwanted consolation prize of a match against for third place on Saturday, and for Tuchel now is the time look with pride on what they accomplished.
“A lot of big football nations are eliminated before the semifinal, so it is an achievement,” Tuchel said.
“No one wants to hear that at the moment. Me neither, because we demand the most of ourselves.”
“None of these players, none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play in the final. We gave everything to be in the final. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but it is what it is.”
