President Donald Trump adds to Thomas Tuchel criticism by questioning Harry Kane role

President Donald Trump adds to Thomas Tuchel criticism by questioning Harry Kane role

United States President Donald Trump has joined pundits and supporters in criticizing England manager Thomas Tuchel's tactics following the Three Lions' 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina. Speaking at a reception at Trump Tower on Friday, July 18, 2026, the president specifically questioned the decision to deploy captain Harry Kane in a defensive capacity during the closing stages of the match.

England had taken a lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon. However, Argentina reversed the deficit in the 92nd minute with two late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, inspired by Lionel Messi. Following the lead, England's possession dropped to 12% and Tuchel reverted to a back five, eventually finishing the game with six defenders on the pitch.

Trump, who has previously praised Kane on social media as a GREAT player!!! and played golf with him in Florida 18 months ago, described the tactical shift as unusual.

"I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence," Trump said. "We got to be a little offensive, right. But no, I'm not going to call it, what do I know about coaching?"

Donald Trump, US President, via BBC Sport

Fifa president Gianni Infantino was standing beside Trump during the remarks, laughing and sarcastically clapping as the president spoke. The appearance together served as a reminder of the close relationship between the two men, which critics argue weakens Fifa's commitment to political neutrality.

Tuchel reacted dismissively to the president's comments during a news conference, asking, Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case, or?

The German coach defended his decision-making process, stating that he took several decisions based on instinct, intuition, and experience to help the team after feeling the momentum of the match had switched and England had become too passive. While Tuchel admitted he takes responsibility as the head coach for the result, he insisted he has no regrets over the decisions themselves.

Addressing the specific criticism regarding Kane's positioning, Tuchel argued that when a team is pushed back into a deep block, every player must defend. He stated that defending in a block is how team spirit and mentality are translated into football terms, noting that the team became too passive in the last 30 minutes and could not find duels or hold the ball.

Beyond the England exit, Trump used the Friday reception to discuss his intervention regarding USA striker Folarin Balogun. Trump revealed he had called Infantino to lodge a complaint after the 25-year-old Balogun received a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic. Fifa subsequently made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, allowing Balogun to play in a last-16 tie against Belgium.

Trump described the World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada as the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world and the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed. Infantino, despite facing claims that he lost control of the tournament due to visa controversies and political interference, appeared confident alongside Trump.

Fifa is predicted to bring in record revenues of $9bn this year, a factor that suggests Infantino is likely to win re-election next year despite a crisis of trust sparked by the Balogun case and concerns over the commercialization of the event, including the introduction of hydration breaks.

Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 20, 2026, at 20:00 BST.