Former England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has suggested that Gareth Southgate would not have made the defensive mistakes that contributed to England's heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina. Thomas Tuchel's side took the lead through Anthony Gordon but conceded two late goals—from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez—after switching to a back five and inviting pressure.
Hasselbaink Criticises Tuchel's Tactical Shift
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football YouTube show, Hasselbaink said: “We’re talking after the game, and it’s easy, you know, but I don’t think that Gareth would have gone to a back five. I don’t think that he would have gone to it with 20, 25 minutes before the game finishes.” The Dutchman, who served as a coach under Southgate from March 2023 until after Euro 2024, argued that Southgate would have learned from past mistakes, particularly the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy, where a similar defensive shift caused problems.
Comparison to Euro 2020 Final
“I don’t think that Steve Holland would have liked him to do that,” Hasselbaink added, referring to Southgate's assistant. “The reason why I think that is when they played Italy, they played a five; they had difficulties getting out and all that kind of stuff. I think that he would have kept it at a four. I think he would have changed the wide players and still had energy up front so that he could still press from the front and still be able to get behind their defence.”
Players Also at Fault, Says Hasselbaink
While critical of Tuchel's approach, Hasselbaink also blamed the players for their mentality after taking the lead. “After the 1-0, when they’re going backwards, that is not Tuchel. That has nothing to do with Tuchel. That is just a mentality of the players thinking, ‘Oh, we need to defend now that 1-0’, instead of having the same kind of tactics and having the game in their half, because that’s really what they were doing. And then after the substitutions, that is where that is Tuchel’s decision.”
England's World Cup exit has sparked debate over Tuchel's tactics, with many questioning the decision to abandon an attacking approach. Hasselbaink's comments add to the criticism, drawing a contrast with Southgate's more cautious but consistent style.
