Thomas Tuchel, the England head coach, confirmed he held a meeting with his players on Sunday night to address the aftermath of their 2-1 victory over Norway in the quarter-finals. The discussion aimed to clear the air following comments made by Tuchel regarding the team’s performance and subsequent remarks from midfielder Jude Bellingham.
The win against Norway in Miami was followed by Tuchel’s criticism of certain aspects of the team’s play, which prompted a response from Bellingham. However, with England preparing to face Argentina in the semi-final on Wednesday, Tuchel sought to move past the Norway game and ensure the squad’s full concentration was on the upcoming match.
Tuchel stated before the semi-final that he had “no problem” with Bellingham’s post-match comments, suggesting that he and Bellingham share a similar competitive mindset. He explained, “I think we come from the same place. Our comments come from the same place from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on.”
Bellingham had previously indicated that his manager might not fully understand the challenges of playing in the heat and humidity during the match against Norway. Tuchel’s subsequent meeting with the squad was intended to reinforce a positive message and refocus their efforts on the Wednesday fixture. While Tuchel had criticised some elements of the performance, he also praised the team’s mentality and effort.
“I spoke to the whole team, we debriefed,” Tuchel confirmed. “I spoke to the whole team after in the dressing room, which was basically the same message.”
Later, Tuchel reportedly told talkSPORT that his relationship with Bellingham is now “more close than ever before” following the recent events. He also defended Bellingham, attributing the situation to attempts by “people try(ing) to create misunderstandings and cracks where no cracks are,” especially considering Bellingham’s exhaustion after his post-match media duties.
Tuchel questioned what could be expected from a player who had just given his all and was then interviewed immediately after the match. He reiterated that despite the media attention, their bond is strong, stating, “It’s just what it is but we’re as close as ever, and close more than ever before. You can see that on the field. The energy and mentality in camp is excellent in the last days and we are ready to go for it tomorrow.”
Addressing Post-Match Remarks
England returned to Kansas City late on Saturday night. Following a recovery day on Sunday, Tuchel’s objective was to shift the team’s focus from the Norway game towards their upcoming semi-final against Argentina. He explained, “I explained it again on Sunday evening to just move on forward. And then we straight away in the talk put on a new direction, put on a new head: which is the semi-final and Argentina.”
Tuchel contextualised Bellingham’s comments from Saturday night, linking them to the player’s physical exhaustion. He also highlighted the positive aspects of his own post-match statements, which he felt were overlooked.
“(Bellingham) was just confronted with the negative side, often with a critique of my side,” Tuchel said, referring to the midfielder’s post-match comments. He noted that he had previously described Bellingham as a “world-class player” and praised his “world-class actions again to decide the match,” as well as the team’s “outstanding mentality.” Tuchel acknowledged that these positive remarks were not part of the questions Bellingham faced.
Tuchel believed Bellingham’s reaction was an instinctive response to being questioned about the negative elements of the coach’s comments. He empathised, stating, “So Bellingham was confronted with, ‘What do you think, the coach said you were sloppy?’. Of course, I would maybe also bite back when I come from 120 minutes, scored two goals, gave literally everything that is in my body. It’s just a very normal thing, a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset.”
Looking Ahead to Argentina
The England squad features several players who were active in the quarter-final match. Declan Rice and Noni Madueke started for the Three Lions against Norway. Bukayo Saka was introduced during the match, replacing Madueke, and Ebere Eze also entered the game. Jude Bellingham scored both goals for England, including the winner in extra time, securing their place in the semi-finals.
Norway had taken the lead in the 36th minute through a goal assisted by Martin Odegaard. Bellingham equalised just before half-time, and after a goalless second half, scored again in extra time. Declan Rice was substituted at half-time due to illness.
Tuchel also commented on their semi-final opponents, Argentina, describing them as a team “fuelled by history.” He acknowledged their competitive edge, noting, “You can sense it when they’re going a goal down, and when matches are tight. They’re a tough team to beat.”
He observed that Argentina‘s squad is largely similar to the one from four years ago, highlighting their cohesion and sacrifice. “They don’t panic when they’re behind. They believe in their style. And their style is a very emotional style. It was in Qatar and it is now,” Tuchel added. Despite Argentina‘s emotional approach, Tuchel expressed confidence in England‘s own emotional capacity, grit, and mentality to compete. The semi-final against Argentina is scheduled for Wednesday.
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Source: nytimes.com
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Charlie Bradshaw is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with ten years of reporting experience. He covered Merseyside football before going national. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Liverpool, he watches non-league sides and collects old match programmes. “The back page is only ever half the story.”