Kane Plays Down Tuchel Rift After England Reach World Cup Semi-Final
Harry Kane has moved to cool tensions in the England camp after manager Thomas Tuchel delivered a blunt verdict on their quarter-final performance — despite the team advancing to the last four of the World Cup.
England beat Norway 2-1 after extra time in searing heat and humidity in Miami, with Jude Bellingham scoring both goals. Yet rather than celebrating the result, Tuchel made clear he was unhappy with what he saw. According to The Guardian, the head coach said England had been “lucky” and criticised the side’s technical errors, lack of pace and general composure throughout the match.
Bellingham did not hide his frustration at those comments, pointedly asking whether Tuchel understood what it was like to face a Norway side containing Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth in those conditions. It was a rare public moment of friction between a player and manager during a major tournament.
Kane, however, was quick to put a different spin on things. The captain suggested Tuchel’s criticism was a calculated move to keep the squad sharp ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta.