The Three Lions appeared to be heading towards the final after taking the lead and producing a disciplined, committed performance for much of the match. England frustrated Argentina, restricted Lionel Messi’s influence and looked increasingly capable of protecting their advantage.

But the contest changed dramatically after Tuchel turned to his bench.

Rooney argued that the substitutions weakened England’s structure and allowed Argentina to take control of the closing stages. Instead of maintaining pressure and continuing to threaten on the counterattack, England dropped deeper and deeper, inviting the defending champions to attack.

According to the former England captain, that shift in approach was “asking for trouble”.

Argentina responded by increasing the tempo, pushing more players forward and forcing England into a desperate defensive position. Enzo Fernandez eventually found the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez completed the turnaround with a dramatic stoppage-time winner.

For Rooney, the most frustrating aspect was that England had been performing well before the changes. They had looked organised, aggressive and dangerous, but gradually lost their grip on the match once the team’s balance was altered.

The Manchester United legend believes Tuchel should have trusted the players who had brought England so close to victory. He also suggested that the manager became too focused on protecting the lead rather than searching for the second goal that could have killed off Argentina’s challenge.

The defeat will inevitably place Tuchel’s substitutions under intense scrutiny. England were not outplayed for the entire match, nor were they overwhelmed from the beginning. Instead, they surrendered control during a short but decisive period when Argentina sensed weakness and attacked without hesitation.

Rooney did praise the players for their effort and resilience throughout the tournament. However, he insisted that elite knockout football is often decided by small tactical decisions, and England’s late collapse showed how costly those decisions can become.

Argentina now advance to face Spain in the World Cup final, while England must recover emotionally before meeting France in the third-place play-off.

For Tuchel, the questions will not disappear quickly. England were within touching distance of their first World Cup final since 1966, but a series of late changes left them exposed — and Argentina took full advantage.