Former England midfielder Danny Murphy has called for Thomas Tuchel to be dismissed as England head coach despite the Three Lions securing their best FIFA World Cup finish in 60 years, arguing that Tuchel's tactical decisions in the semifinal loss to Argentina directly cost England a place in the final.

England's Third-Place Finish

England rounded off their World Cup campaign with a 6-4 victory over France in the third-place playoff — a high-scoring, entertaining contest that saw Bukayo Saka register a hat-trick, having been notably absent from the starting lineup in the semifinal defeat to Argentina. The result gives England a bronze medal, their best World Cup placement since 1966.

Murphy's Verdict on Tuchel

'He will keep his job, but I don't think he should. He has failed. They are missing out on a World Cup final because of the tactics. They will be devastated,' Murphy told BBC Sport. The former Liverpool midfielder was particularly critical of Tuchel's conservative second-half approach against Argentina, arguing that England's most creative attackers were left watching from the bench when they were needed most.

'There are so many incredibly, wonderfully gifted footballers in our squad and that was why it was so disappointing in that second half against Argentina, because most of them weren't on the pitch,' Murphy said. 'The frustrating thing is this level of forward thinking and creativity just wasn't there against Argentina,' he added.

Warnock Echoes the Criticism

Former England defender Stephen Warnock also took aim at England's cautious display after they had taken the lead against the eventual finalists, and specifically questioned the decision to bench Saka for that match. 'We all thought Thomas Tuchel was going to be the guy who took the handbrake off. Just disappointed that we retreated so quickly in that game,' Warnock said.

'I think, where was the pace against Argentina? The performance from Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford and their ability to stretch the pitch... Pace kills anyone. It's a defender's worst nightmare, and it is so hard to defend against,' he added.

What This Means for Tuchel's Future

Despite the criticism from former players, Murphy himself acknowledged that Tuchel is likely to retain his position — at least in the short term. The debate, however, reflects a broader tension within English football between celebrating progress and demanding the tactical boldness that many believe could have delivered a first World Cup final berth since 1966. How the Football Association responds to the mounting scrutiny will be closely watched in the coming weeks.