Thomas Tuchel has urged England to finish their World Cup campaign on a high after delivering an emotional address to his squad following Wednesday’s heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Argentina.
The England boss spoke to his players after they returned to their Kansas City base, encouraging them to put the disappointment behind them and produce one final performance against France in Saturday’s third-place play-off.
Tuchel also told the squad how proud he was of their efforts throughout the tournament after guiding England to only their fourth men’s World Cup semi-final.
Victory over France in Miami would secure England’s best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966.
Tuchel’s speech comes after a difficult few days following England’s dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina, where Lionel Messi inspired a late comeback after Anthony Gordon had given the Three Lions the lead.
The defeat has sparked questions over Tuchel’s tactics, with reports that several senior players were left frustrated by the team’s approach after going in front.
England switched to a back five and made several defensive substitutions during the closing stages before Enzo Fernandez equalised and Lautaro Martinez scored a stoppage-time winner to send Argentina into the final.
However, Tuchel has since rejected suggestions that his instructions were responsible for England’s retreat.
The German insisted it was never the plan for his side to sit deep and admitted controlling games after taking the lead is “maybe not in our DNA… to control the game and ball.”
The England manager is expected to face further questions about his tactical decisions during Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the meeting with France.
Despite the criticism following the semi-final defeat, Tuchel continues to enjoy the full backing of the Football Association.
The 52-year-old signed a two-year contract extension in February after initially being appointed in January 2025 on an 18-month deal with the objective of winning the 2026 World Cup.
He is expected to remain in charge through to Euro 2028, which will be co-hosted by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
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