He was ready — Tuchel reveals real reason for dropping Saka against Argentina

England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that a tactical "feeling" about Morgan Rogers was the primary reason he controversially left Bukayo Saka on the bench during their 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.

The Three Lions suffered an agonising collapse against the defending champions on Wednesday at the Atlanta Stadium but bounced back on Saturday to secure a bronze medal with a chaotic 6-4 victory over France at the Miami Stadium.

Saka was the undisputed catalyst for England’s third-place triumph, unleashing a spectacular hat-trick to instantly intensify the scrutiny surrounding his complete omission earlier in the week.

The decision to leave the Arsenal star as an unused substitute against Argentina sparked fierce backlash from pundits and supporters, who questioned why England's most clinical wide threat was entirely ignored while chasing the game.

Addressing the media after the third-place match, Tuchel clarified that Saka’s absence was not governed by medical caution regarding the Achilles injury he picked up in March, which had limited his group-stage minutes, as the Arsenal star was ready. 

"He did everything right. I had just a feeling in the semi-final for Morgan Rogers that he would be involved in something special. That was it," Tuchel explained, per ESPN.

The German manager noted that the unpredictable nature of the semi-final forced his hand, stating, "We had (Saka) warm up several times against Argentina. We were ready to change, but the game became so crazy that we, in the end, opted for a different option." Tuchel added that his late substitutions were ultimately dictated "because of cramps and flow of the game".

Despite Tuchel maintaining that Saka remains a "fantastic teammate" and a "key player," the 24-year-old winger did not hide his personal disappointment regarding his limited role on the world stage.

Following his match-winning performance against France, where he demonstrated brilliant, instant on-pitch chemistry to carve through the French defence, Saka suggested it was painful to watch the semi-final slip away from the sidelines.

"Of course, I would love to have played more," Saka told reporters. "But of course, it's not the time to talk about out. I try to do my talking on the pitch. It's done now. Move on."

Saka channelled that lingering frustration into a masterclass, securing England's best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966.