Tuchel criticizes the referee's performance in Mexico vs England

England coach Thomas Tuchel could not hide his discontent with the refereeing after the match against Mexico, played at the Azteca Stadium. The main controversy revolved around a penalty awarded to the Mexican team by referee Alireza Faghani, a decision that Tuchel considered incomprehensible. During the press conference after the match, the German coach expressed: "I don't understand how a penalty can be awarded in an action where there is no clear foul that has brought down a Mexican player."

The play in question occurred in the 69th minute, when the VAR intervened to review an action in the area that resulted in a penalty. Raúl Jiménez, Mexican forward, did not waste the opportunity and scored a goal, bringing his team closer on the scoreboard. "For me, it was not a foul. The VAR made a decision that was not justified. The action was not clear enough to reverse the initial decision," added Tuchel, who showed his frustration with the quality of the refereeing.

In addition, Tuchel made a humorous comment about the recent suspension of his defender Jarell Quansah, who received a red card in the match. He was asked if Harry Kane, captain of the national team, could contact US President Donald Trump to appeal Quansah's sanction, to which the coach responded with a laugh: "That would be a good start, but I don't think it can be done."

England, who started the match with a 2-1 lead, had to defend their result with one less player after Quansah was sent off. Harry Kane, meanwhile, had the opportunity to increase the lead from the penalty spot, scoring 1-3 before the Mexican penalty arrived. The pressure increased in the final minutes, and Tuchel stressed that the performance of the referee team was not acceptable: "The referees and the fourth officials are not up to the task. We need an improvement in the quality of refereeing so that the game is fair."

This situation has generated a debate about the standard of refereeing in international football, especially with an eye on the 2026 World Cup, where decisions like this are expected to have a significant impact on the performance of national teams. Tuchel's criticism could open the door to a review of referee protocols in high-level competitions.

---

Related Articles

1. Đánh giá cầu thủ Anh: Phong độ của đội tuyển trước Mexico
2. Tuchel praises the respectful treatment of two Mexican twisters before do

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter now?

This World Cup 2026 update affects fans, teams, and the wider season picture — read above for the full breakdown.

What happens next?

Stay tuned for official updates and follow our coverage for the latest developments.