Argentina is on to the FIFA World Cup Final against Spain. What started as a massive, sprawling tournament has been reduced to just two nations for the upcoming finale. Unsurprisingly, VAR has been controversially involved quite a lot this summer, particularly when it comes to reigning champion Argentina.

There is a conspiracy theory that FIFA wants Argentina to win, so the organization is conspiring with VAR and on-field referees to help aid Lionel Messi’s team every way they can. It does not help that FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly let slip that he’s rooting for the Argentinians.

It doesn’t help that there have been some controversial (but mostly accurate) VAR interventions that have helped Argentina survive upset bids in literally every single knockout round game. They are lucky to be still standing, and plenty believe FIFA is responsible.

There wasn’t a big controversy from the club’s stunning comeback win over England in the semifinal, but there is some chatter about VAR not stepping in (do we want instant replay to play a big role or not?) on Argentina’s two goals, one in the 85th minute to tie and the other in stoppage time to win.

But this time, no matter what has been the case before, it wasn’t VAR or FIFA who handed a comeback victory to the Argentinians. It was England, particularly manager Thomas Tuchel.

England, Not VAR, Handed Argentina the Comeback

For 55 minutes, England had thoroughly outplayed the defending champions. No shots on goal were recorded amid a 19-foul first half, but the English team was much more lively, and they quickly struck first to break the deadlock in the second half. They had a well-deserved lead.

Then, they completely self-destructed. England manager Thomas Tuchel totally hit the self-destruct button for no apparent reason. He got cute, and it very much cost his side a real shot at the World Cup title, or at least to play in the first final in 60 years.

Tuchel opted to drop back and defend his one-goal lead against a team that is known for late comebacks. In the 72nd minute, he took off the brilliant Anthony Gordon, the lone goal-scorer, for defender Ezri Konsa. Argentina responded with two immediate chances.

In the 82nd minute, defender Dan Burn replaced Reece James. Nico O’Reilly, another defender (are we sensing a theme here?), replaced midfielder Declan Rice. Argentina threatened again, forcing the excellent goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to bail them out once again before the defense was finally breached.

Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez linked up for a brilliant tying goal from outside the box in the 85th minute. Seven minutes later, just briefly into stoppage time, Messi assisted Lautaro Martinez for the winning score. England never threatened again.

Then, Tuchel had a conundrum that he himself had drawn up. He needed a goal and had gone to a back five with a ton of defensive players on the field. So, he tried to save face by bringing on Ivan Toney for John Stones and Marcus Rashford for Djed Spence, who was England’s best player all day.

It was too little too late. England had spent about 45 minutes parking the bus and funneling in defenders to try and prevent a tying score. It was obviously futile. After the goal by Gordon, Argentina had 88% possession. 88%, while Tuchel insisted on inviting pressure and allowing Messi and company to throw chance after chance at his defense.

We have enough data now to know that, generally speaking, parking the bus doesn’t work, especially not with so much time left. Some teams can sit in a low block and defend, defend, defend until they break a counterattack, but that’s not England. They’re not that type of team, and Tuchel left them without much in the way of a counterattack with his subs.

Everyone in the world knew Argentina was going to ramp up pressure to try and equalize, and given that England is not an overly talented defensive team, Tuchel’s best bet was to keep his side mostly the same and continue playing as is. Searching for a second goal might’ve sealed it. Instead, they knew Messi was going to make magic and just let it happen.

It’s the same strategy he employed against Mexico in the Round of 16. England advanced, but they were fortunate, and parking the bus didn’t even work then, either. After going down to 10 men, they were fortunate to get a penalty to extend the lead to two goals.

It made sense to park the bus and defend to see it out, but it’s worth noting that Mexico scored again to make it a one-goal lead before panicking in the last bit of the match and failing to equalize. It wasn’t totally foolish to park the bus down a man with a two-goal lead, but the fact that they conceded a goal should’ve been evidence never to try the strategy again.

Instead, against the defending champions with the best player of all time, Tuchel did it again. The players deserved better, as up until the manager got cute, they were outclassing Argentina. Instead, perhaps the best chance of the World Cup “coming home” was squandered by a manager who was brought in to do the exact opposite of what he did in the most crucial moments of the tournament.

VAR and FIFA do not have a conspiracy to get Argentina a second straight World Cup. But even if they did, they didn’t have to step in on Wednesday. England, more specifically Tuchel, did that themselves.