England led 1-0 from the 55th minute of their 2026 World Cup semi-final, yet manager Thomas Tuchel still abandoned his 4-4-2 for a 5-3-2 as his side struggled to keep the ball and hold their defensive lines. Argentina had committed four players to attack, Lionel Messi among them, and periodically shifted into a 3-1-6, pinning England back under relentless pressure with a stream of crosses from the flanks. Determined to shut down the wings and keep three centre-backs in his own box, the German switched to a back five, just as he had done against Norway and Mexico.
The reshuffle could not rescue the night, and England crashed out in dramatic fashion. Enzo Fernández levelled in the 85th minute before Lisandro Martínez struck in the second minute of stoppage time, 90+2, to seal a 2-1 win for Argentina. "This is a wound I'll carry," a heavily criticised Tuchel admitted at his post-match press conference, insisting the change had been made purely to help his team.
