Thomas Tuchel reportedly described the incident as a “mix up”, admitting: “We should have put it in writing on the dressing room wall. We needed clarification.”
That is an uncomfortable admission for a team preparing for the 2026 World Cup. Penalty planning is not limited to naming five takers. It covers the order, communication, substitutions, rehearsals and the responsibility for making a decision when emotions rise.
One unclear instruction does not prove England’s wider process is broken. Gordon still scored, and the episode may have been an organisational lapse rather than a technical failure. But World Cups are often decided by moments when clarity matters most.
Durham’s reported solution is a return for Gareth Southgate in a specialist advisory role. Southgate’s England developed a reputation for treating shootouts as a prepared footballing exercise rather than a lottery, particularly during the team’s run of major-tournament progress.
“Every England fan was confident,” Durham said of the Euro 2024 shootout against Switzerland, pointing to the conviction shown by Cole Palmer, Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The argument is not necessarily that Southgate should reclaim Tuchel’s job. It is that his experience could help preserve a process England had worked hard to establish. Durham even suggested Southgate “could do it remotely.”
Tuchel’s authority should not be weakened by one reported mix-up, but the manager now has a clear task: make penalty responsibilities unmistakable. A written plan, regular practice and firm leadership would answer much of the criticism.
The next England camp will show whether this was an isolated moment or the start of a wider correction. By the time the World Cup arrives, there can be no uncertainty over who takes the ball.