England’s Passing Problem Runs Deeper Than One World Cup Exit
England’s elimination at the World Cup has prompted yet another bout of soul-searching — and this time, the statistics are particularly hard to ignore. According to The Guardian, after Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute against Argentina, Thomas Tuchel’s side managed just 12% of possession before Lautaro Martínez scored the winner deep in stoppage time.
Of the 39 passes England attempted in that spell, 12 were played by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and only five were made in Argentina’s half of the pitch. It paints a picture of a team retreating into their shell at precisely the wrong moment — a pattern The Guardian traces as far back as the 2002 World Cup, when England took an early lead against Brazil and then tried to hold on.
Tuchel was candid in his post-match analysis, praising Argentina’s approach: “In their culture, ball possession plays a crucial role. It starts from a young age,” he said. “That is in the DNA and it demands a lot of self-confidence — natural self-confidence to always want the ball.” While not aimed directly at his own players, the implication was clear.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was more blunt, noting that England went “backwards and backwards rather than going forward” despite being in the lead.
The FA’s DNA Philosophy — Still a Work in Progress
The Football Association launched its ‘England DNA philosophy’ back in December 2014, with the stated aim of producing players capable of intelligently dominating possession. Over a decade on, a shortage of technically gifted central midfielders who can control major matches from the middle of the park remains a recurring theme.
Dan Ashworth, who helped devise that philosophy, returned to St George’s Park last May as chief football officer, tasked in part with building the long-term systems to underpin England’s performance ambitions.
There are, however, signs of progress. Elliot Anderson has established himself in the England setup over the past year, and Kobbie Mainoo’s creative qualities were a talking point throughout the tournament. The absence of Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly — both reportedly in outstanding domestic form before the tournament — adds further intrigue about the depth available going forward.
With Euro 2028 on home soil on the horizon, the pressure to resolve England’s midfield puzzle is only going to grow. Keep track of how the squad evolves on our World Cup 2026 hub and check the live standings for the full tournament picture.