Thomas Tuchel has condemned the standard of refereeing at the World Cup as 'not good enough' and 'unreliable' after England’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca stadium on Sunday night. The German manager, whose side held on with 10 men, voiced frustration over inconsistent officiating, including a controversial red card for Jarell Quansah and a penalty awarded against Harry Kane.
Tuchel's Verdict on Officiating
Tuchel, visibly angered from the start, criticized the Iranian referee Alireza Faghani for booking Declan Rice in the first minute. He said: 'It’s not good enough. He can send any team out in any moment. It’s just erratic, unreliable in matches. Now we have two fourth officials who just scream at you if you put one foot out of a coaching zone. It’s just not good enough.'
The England boss pointed to the red card decision for Quansah, who was dismissed after a VAR review for a tackle on Jesús Gallardo. Mexico’s second goal also came from a penalty after a VAR check for a foul by Kane. Tuchel argued that such interventions disrupt the flow of the game: 'Do you really think Harry in this moment thinks ‘Oh, VAR!’? He just goes to the ball and there’s contact, it’s contact sport. We cannot look at stills and think: ‘Oh, contact, penalty.’'
Impact of VAR on Players
When asked if he would discuss VAR with his players, Tuchel replied: 'What can they do? We give everything and then decisions are overturned in a very questionable way. But it’s not only about the big decisions; the little decisions, the consistency. You’re out there like on the open sea, you don’t know what’s going to happen. They’re just not on the level.'
He emphasized that the tournament features high-level competition from all nations, including underdogs, and requires equally high-level refereeing: 'The game has changed massively and it’s just not good enough for the players, for the game.'
England's Belief and Next Steps
Despite the officiating concerns, Tuchel is optimistic about England’s prospects after the victory at the Azteca, a venue where Mexico had a formidable record. 'It fuels our belief that we are here to stay,' he said. 'We are in a part of the tournament where you just need to find a way to stay in it. From the quarter-final, it’s eight teams and everyone can win it. We will stay with the motto, step by step, game by game. Matches like this you can only win with belief, and it will just fuel our belief.'
Quansah will be suspended for the quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday. Additionally, midfielder Jordan Henderson has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament after breaking his wrist during the post-match celebrations. The Brentford player required surgery and stayed in hospital overnight with a member of the medical staff.
