Henry Reveals Tuchel’s Rashford Plan That Nearly Saved England vs Argentina

According to a report by Metro Sport on Thursday July 16, 2026, England’s World Cup exit has prompted further scrutiny of Thomas Tuchel’s in-game decisions, with Thierry Henry suggesting a key attacking change involving Marcus Rashford was abandoned at a pivotal moment.

Tuchel’s side were minutes away from reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead early in the second half.

However, the game shifted dramatically as England retreated into a defensive shape, allowing Argentina to build sustained pressure before completing a late comeback.

Henry revealed that Rashford had been preparing to come on before England scored, a move that would have offered a direct outlet on the counter-attack.

Instead, the plan was shelved as Tuchel opted to protect the lead, switching to a back five and prioritising defensive stability.

“When you’re on the bench, things happen quickly,” Henry explained. “Marcus Rashford was supposed to come on just before the goal. After that, they went into a back five too early.”

The former Arsenal striker felt the timing of that tactical shift proved decisive. England’s deeper positioning invited Argentina forward, with Enzo Fernandez eventually finding space to equalise before Lautaro Martinez struck the winner in stoppage time.

Henry added: “It’s not easy, but they went defensive too early. You don’t beat a team like Argentina by giving them the ball and dropping off.”

England’s lack of attacking threat became increasingly evident as the game wore on. Rashford and Ivan Toney were eventually introduced, but only in stoppage time, leaving little opportunity to influence the outcome.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic echoed Henry’s assessment, pointing to the contrast in approach between the two sides.

“They had six defenders on the pitch at one point,” he said. “Tuchel didn’t play the cards right, while Argentina kept pushing and adding attacking players.”

Argentina’s tactical adjustments, including deploying Lionel Messi in wider areas, allowed them to stretch England’s defensive structure and create overloads in key moments. Their persistence paid off as they turned pressure into goals when it mattered most.

Tuchel, for his part, stood by his decisions, insisting there were “no regrets” despite accepting responsibility for the substitutions.

He maintained that England were the better side for long periods but acknowledged that their inability to maintain control after taking the lead proved costly.