Donald Trump Mocks England Coach Over Harry Kane Tactic
· Yahoo Sports
Donald Trump has joined the barrage of criticism aimed at England manager Thomas Tuchel, questioning his deployment of star striker Harry Kane during the country’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Argentina.
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Trump and Kane have seemingly struck up a close friendship, with the footballer recalling the “surreal” moment they played golf together some time ago.
The president is expected to attend Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, but it is unclear whether he will also be at Saturday’s third-place playoff between England and France.
Donald Trump Pokes Fun At England’s Defensive StrategyDonald Trump calls out England’s defense on Messi: “Messi was well guarded, and all of a sudden he was standing on the right while the great player who had been guarding him was just standing there…Messi kicked it, and that was the end of the game.” pic.twitter.com/jiygIi8mbv
— The ANF Club ⚽️ (@adjorNfriends) July 18, 2026
Donald Trump was not impressed with Thomas Tuchel’s decision to change tactics and deploy his friend Harry Kane defensively during England’s semifinal loss to Argentina at the ongoing World Cup.
Speaking alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at a reception at Trump Tower on Friday, the president did not hold back while analyzing Wednesday’s match in Atlanta.
He referenced his personal relationship with Kane, noting that the two had previously shared a round of golf in Florida, and questioned why Tuchel had made him defend.
“You have a great player in England, who I played golf with—you know that, right?” Trump said. “Harry Kane, who’s been fantastic. I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defense.” He jokingly added, “We have got to be a little offensive, right? But no, I’m not going to call it. What do I know about coaching? It was unusual, but Harry is a great guy, actually.”
How England’s Defensive Shift Backfired
The Three Lions took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon’s strike, but they soon lost their offensive edge as Tuchel instructed his side to drop deeper and defend their advantage.
He also withdrew several attackers and replaced them with defenders, eventually finishing the match with six recognized defenders on the pitch.
As a consequence of the rigid, low defensive block, Kane was starved of attacking service and spent the final half-hour defending inside or just outside his own penalty area.
The passivity backfired in a major way as Lionel Messi found vital pockets of space, helping engineer an 85th-minute equalizer from Enzo Fernández before Lautaro Martínez headed home a dramatic stoppage-time winner.
The goal sent Argentina through to Sunday’s final against Spain.
Thomas Tuchel Fires Back At Donald Trump
KCS Presse / MEGAThe widespread criticism, including Trump’s comments, was raised during a news conference on Friday ahead of Saturday’s third-place playoff against France in Miami.
The question appeared to rub the German manager the wrong way as he replied dryly, “Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case or…?”
He then pushed back against claims that Kane had played too deep and doubled down on his strategy.
“In which situation did Harry play too deep? What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes? Well, we defended in a deep block,” the England boss argued. “That’s what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough; we could not escape the deep block, but if you defend in a deep block, everyone defends in a deep block.”
Tuchel admitted that England had become “too passive” during the final 30 minutes but suggested that the team would learn from the defeat and improve.
Harry Kane Reacts To England’s Heartbreaking Loss
FAITH MORAN/MEGAWhile England’s tournament hopes ended in familiar heartbreak, sources say Tuchel retains the Football Association’s firm backing and is expected to lead the national team through Euro 2028.
Meanwhile, Kane reacted to the loss on social media, vowing to keep fighting as England continues searching for the “final piece of the jigsaw” that will allow the team to start winning trophies.
“No words are big enough right now to overcome this empty feeling in the stomach,” the England captain wrote on X. “We were close, really close to another final, but it wasn’t enough. We’ve given everything over these last seven weeks, and to fall short is hard to take!”
“I know the expectations are high and rightly so; we’ve been knocking on the door for eight years now, but again are missing that final piece of the jigsaw! That’s where we have to go away, process it, and find a way to get better,” he continued.
Kane commended his teammates for giving their best throughout the competition, and thanked the fans for their support.
Kane Recalls Playing Golf With Donald Trump
FAITH MORAN/MEGAThe exchange comes about a week after Kane confirmed that he and Trump had played golf together, describing it as a “pretty surreal experience,” per ESPN.
Trump had previously revealed that they played golf, saying, “I think Kane is a great player. I played golf with him, and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer too. He’s really great.”
However, Kane clarified that the outing took place 18 months ago and said he admired Trump’s golf game even at age 80.
“I played all right, to be honest, but 18 months ago he invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach,” he said at the time. “So when the president invites you somewhere, it was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and obviously play golf with him.”
He added, “His golf is pretty good, to be honest with you. I hope I can play golf as well as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure. A unique experience, but I was just grateful that he invited me to play.”
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