Hasselbaink Critiques England’s Mentality in World Cup Exit to Argentina
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has shifted the focus of blame from coach Thomas Tuchel to the England players following the nation’s disappointing exit from the World Cup against Argentina.
Tuchel faced significant criticism for his tactical decisions during the semi-final match, particularly his choice to adopt a five-at-the-back formation, which deepened English defenses and allowed Argentina to apply pressure that led to a late comeback.
Hasselbaink, a former assistant to ex-England manager Gareth Southgate, emphasized that Tuchel isn’t solely responsible for the defeat. He highlighted the players’ lack of proper mindset, suggesting that they panicked after taking a 1-0 lead. “After the 1-0, when they’re going backwards, that is not Tuchel,” he stated during an appearance on The Good, The Bad & The Football YouTube show.
“That’s just a mentality of the players thinking, ‘Oh, we need to defend now that 1-0,’ instead of maintaining their tactics and controlling the game,” he explained. Additionally, he pointed out that Tuchel’s decisions regarding substitutions were also factors in the match’s outcome.
Hasselbaink specifically mentioned Jude Bellingham, who had been a standout performer throughout the tournament but was less influential against Argentina. He suggested Bellingham needed to play more actively as Lionel Messi did towards the end of the game.
The loss against Argentina marked the end of Tuchel’s first major tournament as manager, a role he assumed with the aim of advancing England’s fortunes after two Euros finals, and performances in prior World Cups did not materialize as hoped. Now, his management is under scrutiny as fans question the strategies that permitted Argentina to regain control.
While commentators attribute some blame to Tuchel for transitioning to a five-back system, Hasselbaink expressed belief that Southgate would have approached the situation differently. “I don’t think that Gareth would have gone to a back five with just 20, 25 minutes left in the game,” he remarked, arguing that Southgate’s prior experiences would have influenced a decision to maintain pressure rather than retreat.