Peter Schmeichel has criticised Thomas Tuchel's decision to leave Bukayo Saka on the bench for England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, calling it a 'mistake' that the manager may come to regret.
Saka's hat-trick highlights Tuchel's error
Saka scored a stunning hat-trick as England beat France 6-4 in the bronze-medal match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, becoming only the fourth England player to score a World Cup hat-trick after Sir Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane. The performance came just four days after he was an unused substitute in the 2-1 semi-final loss to holders Argentina in Atlanta.
Speaking on FOX Sports, the former Manchester United goalkeeper said: 'Yes, I think he made one mistake, he didn't play Saka at all in that semi-final against Argentina. For whatever reason, I do not know. But that's not going to define what they've done in this World Cup. They've played well, they've played really well.'
Fitness concerns dismissed
Saka had been carrying an Achilles injury from the end of last season, but Tuchel insisted the decision was mainly tactical. After the France match, Saka told the BBC: 'Of course, I would love to have played more but it's too late to talk about that. I try to do my talking on the pitch and it's done now. So let's move on. I'm fit.'
England's cautious approach criticised
England's defensive tactics after taking the lead against Argentina drew widespread criticism, with some fans calling for Tuchel to resign. However, the German said he had 'no regrets' about his approach. Schmeichel urged supporters to 'take a step back and look at the big picture', praising England's overall tournament performance.
'People should take a step back and actually look at what England have done,' Schmeichel said. 'I've always looked at England as a team being close to being great but there has always been something missing. This time, there is so much promise in this team.'
Schmeichel praises England's resilience
The Dane also hailed England's quarter-final win over Mexico at the Azteca, where they played with ten men in difficult conditions. 'For England to come through in that game with ten men, that was fantastic, absolutely fantastic,' he said. He also noted the challenges of playing in Miami's humidity.
Schmeichel dismissed the controversy over Jude Bellingham appearing to blame Jordan Pickford for Argentina's equaliser, calling it 'a bit silly' and urging focus on the 'big picture'.
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina takes place on Sunday, July 19 at 8pm BST at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
