Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was ciritcised my Argentine media for his performance against Ecuador (Credits: Imago Images)
England’s World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak as Argentina completed a stunning 2-1 comeback victory in the semi-final, booking a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.
The defeat has sparked fierce criticism of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who was widely condemned for adopting a defensive approach after taking the lead.
Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, ghosting in to fire England ahead and send hopes soaring among the Three Lions faithful watching around the world.
However, England’s cautious response to scoring proved catastrophic against a relentless Argentina side whose mentality and belief never wavered under pressure.
Enzo Fernandez produced a World Cup classic to level matters, striking a stunning equaliser that left England scrambling to hold on for extra time.
Then, in the second minute of added time, Lautaro Martinez headed home a Lionel Messi cross to complete the comeback and send Argentina into a final against Spain in New York.
Jude Bellingham endured a torrid night, with one Argentine match report brutally following every paragraph with the phrase “And Bellingham? Nothing.”
Argentine outlet Ole captured the raw emotion perfectly, writing: “You can’t write like this. Is it unprofessional to say you’re writing while crying? There’s room for emotion in a journalist’s handbook.”
The same publication continued: “How can you not cry with Messi, with Paredes, with Scaloni’s substitutions, with Enzo’s shout, with Barco running onto the field to celebrate like a madman? How can you not be moved when you’re watching history unfold live?”
Argentina’s TYC Sports noted the historic significance, pointing out that this was the first time since Italy 1990 that Argentina had beaten a previous World Cup champion within ninety minutes or extra time.
TYC Sports also highlighted the dramatic impact of Lautaro Martinez’s substitution, noting that Lionel Scaloni went for broke in the 81st minute, bringing on Martinez for Nicolas Tagliafico.
The publication noted that Martinez knew his opportunity would come, writing: “Optimistic, like any striker, Lautaro knew he’d get one chance. And it was the most important one.”
England’s Daily Mirror placed the blame squarely at Tuchel’s feet, writing: “Thomas Tuchel got it wrong. He invited the pressure on. It was unsustainable. Sure enough, England cracked.”
The Mirror added: “This was their chance. This was their moment. And yet ultimately, it was Argentina who showed more courage and a stronger mentality than England could muster.”
German newspaper Bild reflected on how bitter the result was for their compatriot Tuchel, noting that the England coach had never previously lost a competitive match in charge of the national side.
Bild concluded that Tuchel “will certainly have to face criticism for his team focusing too much on defense after Anthony Gordon’s opening goal,” a damning assessment from his home country.
Brazilian outlet Globo noted that Argentina remain perfect in World Cup semi-finals, with Scaloni’s side now boasting six appearances at the penultimate stage and returning to the final to chase a fourth world title.
England must now wait even longer for a first World Cup final appearance since their solitary title triumph all the way back in 1966.
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