Thomas Tuchel and Harry Maguire angry at the same thing after England slump to Uruguay draw

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 28/03/2026

- 08:41

The match at Wembley ended 1-1 on Friday night

England manager Thomas Tuchel and defender Harry Maguire launched a scathing attack on referee Sven Jablonski following the Three Lions' draw with Uruguay at Wembley.

The match, which served as England's second-to-last fixture before Tuchel selects his World Cup squad, was marred by contentious officiating decisions in the second half.


Both Tuchel and Maguire were incensed that Barcelona's Ronald Araujo escaped punishment for a dangerous challenge on Phil Foden.

The England boss also took aim at a late penalty awarded against Ben White, telling ITV: "Yeah because it's not a penalty, I'm sorry."

Maguire echoed his manager's frustration, describing the spot-kick as "ridiculous" and "a real, real soft penalty."

The challenge from Araujo on Foden was described as potentially leg-breaking, yet Jablonski took no action against the defender.

Tuchel questioned why VAR failed to intervene, saying: "How is this not checked by VAR? And then they're checking the last bit where the referee made very, very clear he saw it and it's nothing... then they check and it's given."

Ben WhiteBen White was met with loud boos and jeers when he was brought off the bench | GETTY

Maguire expressed disbelief at the lack of punishment, stating: "You don't see tackles like that that don't get red cards. A couple of months to the World Cup and we've got referees allowing tackles like that."

Further confusion arose when Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte appeared to receive two yellow cards without being dismissed.

The fourth official offered a bizarre explanation, claiming the second booking had been rescinded, before it was later suggested the initial caution had actually been shown to teammate Jose Maria Gimenez.

England's record in their last five major tournamentsEngland's record in their last five major tournaments | PA/GETTY

White experienced a rollercoaster evening on his first England appearance in four years, having previously stepped away from international duty following a disagreement with former assistant manager Steve Holland.

The Arsenal defender found the net in the 81st minute, only to then give away the penalty from which Federico Valverde equalised in stoppage time.

White's introduction was met with a mixed response from the Wembley crowd, with some supporters booing the defender as he entered the pitch.

Tuchel addressed the reception, saying: "I think it was a mixed reaction, some cheered, some booed. I was not even aware of it but people told me now."

The manager added: "I hope so [that this has turned a page for him]."

Despite the controversial conclusion to the match, both Tuchel and Maguire were full of praise for White's contribution.

Thomas Tuchel feels England have work to do after their draw with Uruguay

Thomas Tuchel feels England have work to do after their draw with Uruguay

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GETTY

Maguire defended his teammate's actions in the penalty area, insisting: "Ben just goes to try and block the shot. It's not a tackle, it's not malicious. There's going to be contact in the box."

The Manchester United captain added: "I thought he was brilliant when he came on."

Tuchel acknowledged White may have been overly aggressive in his defending but maintained the decision was wrong, saying: "He's a bit maybe too tough, too greedy in his defensive actions. But still I think it's not a penalty."

Maguire also highlighted White's positive influence during the training camp, noting he had brought "great energy" and worn "a big smile on his face" throughout the week.