Tuchel’s old referee clash resurfaces as Turpin gets England opener

Clément Turpin’s appointment for England’s World Cup opener against Croatia has put the referee at the center of the build-up, not just the teams. Thomas Tuchel’s old complaints about the French official have returned to the spotlight, turning a routine assignment into an early pressure point before England’s first Group L match.

England will meet Croatia on Wednesday, June 17, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with kickoff set for 20:00 local time. FIFA lists the game in Group L, where England are also paired with Ghana and Panama, and the match will open the tournament campaign for both England and Croatia.

The tension around Turpin comes from Tuchel’s history with him during Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City in April 2023. Tuchel was sent off after collecting two yellow cards, and Turpin also initially showed Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano a straight red card before VAR overturned that decision. City went on to win 4-1 on aggregate, and Tuchel’s verdict on the referee was sharp: he called Turpin “Grade E,” later rated him “1/10” and described him as “terrible.”

That history matters because England are not only dealing with a high-stakes opener, but also with a referee who has already left a strong imprint on one of the most important figures in their dugout. The match will be watched closely for how Turpin manages contact, dissent and the emotional temperature of a World Cup game that already carries weight because it comes first.

Jude Bellingham adds another layer to the story. In a 2024 Champions League semi-final, Turpin pushed Bellingham away from the penalty area as the England midfielder tried to distract Harry Kane before a spot kick. That incident, along with the Tuchel dispute, means England’s opener will begin under a familiar lens: not just who plays best, but how the referee is received before the first whistle and how quickly the match itself takes over.

England and Croatia are meeting at the World Cup for only the second time, after Croatia beat Gareth Southgate’s side 2-1 after extra time in the 2018 semi-final. It will be the fourth England-Croatia meeting at a major tournament this century, which gives the fixture enough history on its own without the added weight of Turpin’s name. Still, with Tuchel on the touchline and memories of earlier clashes close to the surface, the referee’s appointment has become part of the story in its own right.