Gary Lineker Condemns Thomas Tuchel's 'Distinctly Odd' Public Critique of Trent Alexander-Arnold
Gary Lineker has openly criticised England head coach Thomas Tuchel for what he describes as a 'distinctly odd and unusual' mistake in publicly questioning the defensive abilities of Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold. Since his appointment to lead the Three Lions in 2024, Tuchel has been notably forthright in his assessments of players, often pulling no punches with his honest evaluations.
Tuchel's Controversial Comments on Alexander-Arnold's Defensive Game
In May of last year, Tuchel focused his attention on the then-Liverpool defender, emphasising that unless Alexander-Arnold improved his defensive credentials at right-back, he was unlikely to secure a spot in the preferred starting lineup. 'I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort,' Tuchel remarked ahead of Alexander-Arnold's final match as a Liverpool player.
He further added that in tournament football, 'the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.' With just four months remaining until England's opening match at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Lineker has now voiced his strong disagreement with Tuchel's approach.
Lineker's Blunt Assessment of Tuchel's Management Style
Labelling Tuchel's remarks as 'very bizarre' and unhelpful, Lineker stated, 'I don't see why Tuchel would have said that. It's a very bizarre statement for a manager to make. I remember thinking similar things at the time, but he's the guy in charge so it doesn't particularly bode well for Trent.'
Lineker argued that highlighting Alexander-Arnold's defensive weaknesses was unnecessary, pointing out, 'He's saying he's not as strong defensively as he is attacking. Oh really? Who would have thought that? The reason for that is he's one of the best attacking players in world football. I mean I've always been very pro-Trent.'
He elaborated on the tactical context, noting, 'The whole thing about his defensive side, if you play him that far forward and move him into midfield, there are going to be elements when you don't defend particularly brilliantly. But other right-backs make mistakes as well and nobody says anything. If a player goes past Trent, it's 'oh see, there's his weakness'. So it became this thing that people looked for, more than probably in reality that was there. No player can do everything brilliantly.'
Concerns Over Public Criticism and Player Profiling
Speaking on his The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker suggested that Alexander-Arnold may have been misprofiled as a full-back earlier in his career, calling it 'a bit of a shame' that he had remained in that role for much of his tenure with both England and Liverpool. However, Lineker's primary concern centred on Tuchel's decision to air what he termed 'behind-closed-doors dirty laundry' in public.
'Also you can't have your coaches and managers talking negatively about you in public,' Lineker continued. 'That's wrong, Tuchel shouldn't have done that. I don't know what possessed him to do it. If you think that, that's fine and you can have private conversations with the player addressing the issues. But you don't do that publicly just to justify your own decisions, it's just wrong.'
Reflecting on the timing of the comments, when Alexander-Arnold was not in the squad, Lineker speculated, 'That's why Tuchel was trying to justify it, maybe, I don't know the reasons he would have said that. But it was distinctly odd, unusual and a mistake. You don't do that publicly about players.'
Alexander-Arnold's Current Struggles and England Prospects
Lineker also recalled that Alexander-Arnold had previously been 'hung out to dry' by Tuchel's predecessor, Gareth Southgate, after being deployed in midfield without adequate preparation. Since his transfer to Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold has faced limited playing time for both club and country, largely due to persistent injuries.
This season, he has managed only 446 minutes across 10 matches, failing to score any goals. The 27-year-old has made just one appearance under Tuchel, in a friendly against Andorra last summer, with Chelsea's Reece James being prioritised in the German manager's tactical plans.
Other Premier League talents, including Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and Tottenham's Djed Spence, have also edged ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the competition for a starting position in England's opening World Cup match against Croatia.
