Thomas Tuchel recently signed a new contract that will keep him as England manager until 2028, but Gary Lineker has criticized the German manager for previous comments about one of his star players.
Gary Lineker targets Thomas Tuchel (Image: Getty Images)
Gary Lineker has slammed Thomas Tuchel for his “bizarre” criticism of former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold. The current Real Madrid defender hasn’t had an easy career with the Three Lions.
Despite winning 34 caps for the national team, Alexander-Arnold has not been able to secure a right-back spot. And current manager Tuchel has been vocal in his criticism, suggesting that defenders routinely focus more on their attacking contributions than on their day job.
These comments suggest Mr Lineker’s reputation is not particularly good and that Mr Tuchel’s approach was wrong. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, the former England striker said: “I don’t know why Tuchel said that. It’s a very strange thing for a manager to say.
“I remember thinking something similar at the time, but it doesn’t bode particularly well for Trent because he’s in charge. He says he’s not as strong defensively as he is attacking. Oh, really? Who would have thought that? The reason is that he’s one of the best attacking players in world football. I mean, I’ve always been a big supporter of Trent.”
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“In terms of his whole defensive side, when you put him forward that much and move him into midfield, there are elements even if he doesn’t defend particularly well.
“But other right-backs make mistakes as well, and no one says anything. If a player passes Trent, you’ll be like, ‘Oh, there’s his weakness.’
“So what people were looking for, more than likely what actually existed, turned out to be this. There’s no player who can do everything very well.”
“Also, coaches and managers are not allowed to speak negatively about themselves in public,” Lineker added. “It’s wrong. Tuchel shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know what made him do it.
Alexander-Arnold has only played one game under Tuchel (Image: Getty Images)
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“If you feel that way, that’s fine and you can have private conversations with players to address the issue. But you don’t do it publicly just to justify your decision. That’s just wrong.”
Alexander-Arnold, 27, has found his minutes in England limited in recent months. He has appeared in just one game since the start of 2025, a 26-minute cameo against Andorra.
This is his only appearance under Tuchel. After a difficult season at Real Madrid due to injuries, he faces a battle to qualify for the World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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