Thomas Tuchel has openly criticized the officiating standards at the World Cup, branding them as inconsistent and unpredictable. Following England’s exhilarating 3-2 victory against Mexico, he expressed confidence in the team’s potential to excel in the tournament.
After a gripping match at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday, Tuchel articulated his frustrations regarding the referees, pointing out that players are often left guessing what to expect from the officials. He particularly called attention to the red card awarded to Jarell Quansah after a VAR review for a tackle, emphasizing that questionable refereeing could threaten teams’ aspirations to progress.
“He [the referee] can send any team out in any moment. It’s just not good enough. It’s just erratic, it’s just unreliable in matches. Now we have two fourth officials who just scream at you if you put one foot out of a coaching zone. It’s just not good enough.” Tuchel stated. “We give everything and then decisions are overturned in a very questionable way. “But it’s not only about the big decisions, the little decisions, the consistency in the decisions. You’re just out there, it’s like almost on the open sea, in front of the court, you don’t know what’s going to happen. They’re just not on the level. “You play high level now. The so‑called underdogs, the so‑called little nations, like we played [DR] Congo, they play on the highest level. Cape Verde plays on the highest level. You need highest‑level refereeing. There are only athletes out there. The game has changed massively and it’s just not good enough. It’s just not good enough for the players, for the game.”
Tuchel’s discontent with the officiating was apparent from the outset of the match against Mexico, especially when Declan Rice received a yellow card for a foul shortly after kick-off.
Quansah will now miss the upcoming quarter-final against Norway in Miami due to his suspension. Mexico’s second goal was awarded after a penalty was given following a VAR check for a foul committed by Harry Kane.
“We are in a part of a tournament, round of 32, round of 16, where you just need to find a way to stay in the tournament, you need to find a way to win. Then, from the quarter-final, it’s eight teams and everyone can win it. “We will stay with the motto, step by step, and game by game. But of course, matches like this, you can only win them with belief, and it will just fuel our belief.”
“You play high level now. The so‑called underdogs, the so‑called little nations, like we played [DR] Congo, they play on the highest level. Cape Verde plays on the highest level. You need highest‑level refereeing. There are only athletes out there. The game has changed massively and it’s just not good enough. It’s just not good enough for the players, for the game.”
“Do you really think that Harry in this moment thinks ‘Oh, VAR!’? He just goes to the ball and there’s a contact, it’s contact sport. We cannot look at stills and think: ‘Oh, contact, penalty.’”
“In real life there is a way of how the game flows and how you referee and some referees are like: ‘No, I don’t allow too much contact.’ Some say: ‘No, now it’s an emotional game, I let the contacts go.’ There are contacts. You cannot look at the still and go: ‘There was a leg in between.’ Come on. You don’t even give a foul and then you go to a red card. You don’t give a foul and then you go to penalty.”
Despite the controversies, Tuchel remains hopeful about England’s chances after their strong display against Mexico. “It fuels our belief that we are here to stay,” he affirmed. “We are in a part of a tournament, round of 32, round of 16, where you just need to find a way to stay in the tournament, you need to find a way to win. Then, from the quarter-final, it’s eight teams and everyone can win it.”
“We will stay with the motto, step by step, and game by game. But of course, matches like this, you can only win them with belief, and it will just fuel our belief.”
The only downside for England was Henderson’s injury, which occurred when he slipped while jumping over an advertising hoarding. The Brentford midfielder was hospitalized overnight under the supervision of a team medical staff member and requires surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the World Cup.
England is also contemplating an appeal against Quansah’s red card, which would prevent him from playing in the quarter-final against Norway. The Football Association may refer to a precedent established by FIFA in overturning a one-game ban for USMNT striker Folarin Balogun following his dismissal against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, France has requested that Michael Olise’s yellow card from the match against Paraguay be rescinded.
