Trump calls Tuchel’s defensive gamble ‘unusual’ before final

American President Donald Trump criticised England manager Thomas Tuchel’s decision to become more defensive after the opening goal in the World Cup semi‑final against Argentina, calling it a big mistake during a press moment ahead of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

Trump said Tuchel’s tactical change was a “big mistake” because England dropped back after conceding, and he believed the move cost the team momentum. He made the comment today, shortly before the final match.

The president added, “Harry is fantastic. I think they maybe made a mistake by putting him as a defensive player,” referring to England’s star striker. He suggested that using Harry in defence was the wrong choice.

Trump described the approach as “unusual” and questioned his own football knowledge, asking, “What do I know about football?” He then admitted, “It was unusual, but Harry is actually a great guy.”

The World Cup final will feature Spain and Argentina, after they respectively eliminated France and England in the semi‑finals. This sets up a showdown between the two nations for the title.

England’s campaign will conclude with a consolation match on Saturday, providing a third‑place play‑off for the side. The match offers a chance for the English team to finish the tournament on a positive note.

Trump argued that England should have continued to play attacking football, noting that the team’s best player was placed in defence. He implied that a more offensive strategy would have been preferable.