Former Alan Shearer believes England manager Thomas Tuchel should remain in charge for the 2028 European Championship, despite the crushing disappointment of a World Cup semi-final exit. Shearer, who captained the Three Lions, insists the German 'will not be fazed' by the criticism that has followed the 2-1 defeat to Argentina.
What went wrong for England in the semi-final?
Shearer was forthright in his assessment, pinpointing Tuchel's defensive approach and in-game changes as decisive errors. England took the lead but then sat back, allowing Lionel Messi increasing influence. "He got things wrong with the way we retreated after scoring and his substitutions did not help," Shearer wrote in his BBC Sport column. "It was extremely frustrating to watch, especially because I felt we had such a good chance of reaching our first World Cup final in 60 years."
"We expected more - I know I did - but just because Tuchel did not deliver does not mean his time should be up."
Tuchel's original brief was to win the FIFA World Cup after taking over in January 2025. His contract initially ran only to the summer of 2026, but a two-year extension signed in February tied him to the 2028 Euros, which England will co-host.
Why Tuchel should remain in charge
Shearer argues that the 52-year-old deserves the chance to learn and evolve ahead of a home European Championship. "I don't think he is naive enough not to realise that what has happened at this tournament is going to increase the scrutiny on him going forward, and I don't believe any of the criticism he has faced will faze him either," Shearer added.
The former striker highlighted that Tuchel's decision to adopt a deep block so early in the semi-final contradicted the promise that this England side would thrive when superior opponents attacked them. "We were up against really top-class opposition - they are world champions for a reason," he acknowledged. "But when you give that much possession away to a very good team for so long, and give that much freedom to the little genius Lionel Messi, then he is going to cause damage - and he did."
Positives from the World Cup campaign
Despite the semifinal agony, Shearer insisted there are building blocks for the future. He described England's last-16 win over Mexico as his 'most memorable moment' of the tournament, pointing to the resilience shown in that hostile environment. The co-commentator believes Tuchel will reflect deeply on the Argentina defeat and return a better manager.
"My guess is he will reflect and look back on the game properly in the days to come. It will be better to speak to him in a few weeks' time to see what his opinions are, then wait for England's next games to see where he has learned and improved."
With the 2028 European Championship on home soil, Shearer believes Tuchel can still deliver the silverware England crave, despite falling short in his first major tournament test.