‘One mistake’ – Peter Schmeichel questions Thomas Tuchel over treatment of England star at World Cup

Peter Schmeichel says Thomas Tuchel made a ‘mistake’ not playing Bukayo Saka in England’s World Cup semi-final showdown with Argentina.

Saka took centre-stage with a stunning hat-trick as the Three Lions beat France 6-4 in a pulsating bronze-medal match at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium .

The Arsenal winger became only the fourth England player to complete a hat-trick in a World Cup, following in the footsteps of Sir Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane.

It came just four days after Saka was left as an unused substitute during the side’s devastating elimination at the semi-final stage, with the holders Argentina coming from behind to defeat Tuchel’s men 2-1 in Atlanta.

Saka has been carrying an Achilles injury from the end of last season and there have been questions over his fitness throughout England’s campaign, but Tuchel insisted the decision not to field the forward was mainly tactical.

And after Saturday’s thriller with France, Saka appeared to confirm that he was indeed fit enough to start against Lionel Messi and Co and had hoped to have played a larger role across the tournament.

‘Of course, I would love to have played more but it’s too late to talk about that,’ he told the BBC.

‘I try to do my talking on the pitch and it’s done now.

‘So let’s move on. I’m fit.’

England’s cautious, ultra-defensive approach after taking the lead against Argentina drew widespread criticism from fans and pundits alike, with Tuchel even facing calls to resign in the aftermath.

However, the German insisted he had ‘no regrets’ about his tactics and substitutions, comments which only attracted further negative headlines.

Speaking on FOX Sports, ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Schmeichel hit out at the ‘silly’ reaction to England’s defeat to Argentina, encouraging supporters to ‘take a step back’ and ‘look at the big picture’.

The Dane did, though, question Tuchel’s decision to leave out Saka versus the reigning champions on Wednesday – a ‘mistake’ he feels the England manager may regret down the line.

‘People should take a step back and actually look at what England have done,’ Schmeichel said.

‘I’ve always looked at England as a team being close to being great but there has always been something missing.

‘This time, there is so much promise in this team. The players they have, the individuals they’ve got…

‘You can criticise the manager until the cows come home but it’s not going to change much.

‘Yes, I think he made one mistake, he didn’t play Saka at all in that semi-final against Argentina. For whatever reason, I do not know.

‘But that’s not going to define what they’ve done in this World Cup. They’ve played well, they’ve played really well.’

Schmeichel went on to praise England’s squad for their ‘absolutely fantastic’ quarter-final display against Mexico in ‘difficult circumstances’ at the Azteca.

‘I was in Mexico for that game. To go there in those circumstances… there was a lot of things happening around that game: the kick-off was moved and then it was moved back, there was a lot of confusion,’ he added.

‘That’s going to play on your mind as a coach and as a player.

‘You get there and it’s raining, it gets postponed for one hour and then the altitude and then, of course, the support that Mexico had there.

‘For England to come through in that game with ten men, that was fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

‘Then, of course, they go on to play against Norway and play really well against Norway. Difficult circumstances in Miami.

‘I’ve been to Miami twice in this World Cup and it’s gruelling. The humidity, it’s difficult to play there.’

Footage after Enzo Fernandez’s long-range strike against England appeared to show a dejected Jude Bellingham blaming Jordan Pickford for the 85th-minute equaliser.

‘The narrative today is that Jude Bellingham has apparently said something to the sky,’ Schmeichel said of the moment.

‘That’s now the big story in England and all of a sudden they’re questioning Jordan Pickford in the goal.

‘I think that’s a bit silly. They should look at it as a big picture. They’ve done well.’

This year’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will take place on Sunday, July 19 at 8pm BST at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

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