Thomas Tuchel has warned that a refereeing mistake could send England crashing out of the World Cup, following a controversial 1-0 victory over Mexico on Monday. The England boss was left fuming after referee Alireza Faghani and the VAR team made decisions he described as “erratic” and “not good enough.”
Tuchel's Outburst After Win
Harry Kane had a penalty awarded against him for a challenge on Mexico’s Brian Gutierrez, and Jarell Quansah was sent off for a foul on Jesus Gallardo. Tuchel, speaking after the match, did not hold back in his criticism of the officiating standards at the tournament.
“It's not good enough. They can send any team out in any moment. It's just not good enough. It's just erratic, it's just unreliable in matches,” Tuchel said. “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.”
Concerns Over Consistency
The German coach highlighted the lack of consistency in decision-making, arguing that even small calls were affecting the flow of the game. “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 in the decisions,” he added.
Tuchel compared the experience to being “on the open sea, in front of the court, you don't know what's going to happen.” He insisted that the level of refereeing must match the high standard of play from all nations, including so-called underdogs like Congo and Cape Verde.
Kane Penalty Controversy
Tuchel was particularly unhappy with the penalty awarded against Kane, which he felt did not warrant a spot kick. “Do you really think that Harry in this moment thinks, ‘Oh, VAR!’? He just goes to the ball and there's a contact, it's contact sport. We cannot look at stills and think: ‘Oh, contact, penalty.’ He doesn't give it,” Tuchel said.
He argued that referees should consider the flow of the game rather than relying on freeze-frames. “In real life there is a way of how the game flows and how you referee… You cannot look at the still and go: ‘There was a leg in between.’ Come on. You don't even give a foul and then you go to a red card. You don't give a foul and then you go to penalty,” he added.
Impact on England's Campaign
England’s win over Mexico secured their place in the quarter-finals, but Tuchel’s comments underline his fear that a single refereeing error could derail their World Cup hopes. The Three Lions are set to face a tough opponent in the next round, and the manager is demanding better from officials to ensure fair competition.
