The English scapegoat better than most. And with a German manager losing a World Cup semi-final to Argentina, Thomas Tuchel is the obvious fall guy.Tuchel did, after all, put on record last year that his mum thinks Jude Bellingham’s on field behaviour can be “a bit repulsive”.In that sense, one headline on the BBC website was not ideal: “Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute after England exit.”Another line from the BBC claimed that Tuchel would see out his two-year contract extension despite the 2-1 loss in Atlanta on Wednesday night.“We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros,” said Tuchel. “I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead.”The former Chelsea manager will have to weather a sustained media blitz before thoughts can switch to Euro 2028.The first wave of criticism came from ex-players in ghosted columns as Kyle Walker claimed in The Sun that Tuchel’s tactical display was similar to his predecessor.[ Tuchel takes blame for World Cup exit and denies England are ‘cursed’Opens in new window ]“As someone who played under Gareth Southgate, I don’t see much difference from when he was in charge to what we’ve done at this World Cup.”Jamie Carragher went a step further in The Telegraph: “Tuchel blew it worse than Southgate ever did.”The next wave came from the UK football correspondents, with Miguel Delaney in the Independent leaning towards sacking the German for an act of “pure football cowardice”.England's Harry Kane and Nico O'Reilly after their World Cup semi-final defeat. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire “The decision to go to five at the back as early as the second-half hydration break – in the 67th minute – was inexplicable at the time and now feels like it will go down as one of the most confounding moments in English football history,” Delaney wrote. “Gareth Southgate never did this. It only fosters the sense that it’s just never going to happen. Is this sackable? All that money ... for this?”Martin Samuel, in The Times, spread the blame around: “The disease remains and is as contagious as ever. Different group, fancy new boss, same dispiriting outcome. England have now lost three huge matches in the past eight years in almost identical fashion. Get ahead, sit deep, and be crushed by the pressure.”Barney Ronay, for the Guardian, shone a spotlight on England’s anonymous skipper: “Harry Kane basically did some light cardio quite close to a World Cup semi-final.”Jacob Steinberg, also in the Guardian, highlighted England’s passive reaction to taking a 1-0 lead after 54 minutes: “Lionel Messi has seen buses reverse into position before ... The negativity was lamentable and it was no surprise when punishment arrived in the form of a clinical Argentina fightback in Atlanta.“This was a tale as old as time. There was a chance for England to push on after Anthony Gordon fired them ahead early in the second half, but they reverted to type. The mentality was passive and they looked scared to win.”[ Ken Early: Thomas Tuchel’s all-time bottle job hands Argentina World Cup final placeOpens in new window ]Oliver Brown, in the Telegraph, led with a pop at the opposition: “Instead of being gracious victors, Argentina treated the English with contempt. Dark arts and provocative celebrations after World Cup semi-final win confirm South Americans remain a difficult team to love.”Because, like, England are universally loved by the football world. The Argentinian media focused on the comments of their now two-time World Cup final manager Lionel Scaloni.“These players are like Native Americans,” said Scaloni. “They grew up in extreme situation, where they weren’t afraid of anything. The responsibility doesn’t weigh them down; they play like they’re seven or eight years old.“They play their best when they’re under pressure. If the opponent hesitates, we see the blood and we go for it.”World Cup Wallchart