England have had their best World Cup since 1966 – and Thomas Tuchel hopes the players will one day appreciate the bronze, even if the goal was gold.
A match no one will forget
On Saturday night at Miami Stadium, England delivered one of the wildest games in World Cup history. 6-4 against France in the bronze final – and suddenly England had their best World Cup result in 60 years. Since the legendary triumph on home soil in 1966, it hasn’t been better.
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Still, the pain sat deep in Tuchel and the entire England camp. The dream of the final was shattered against Argentina in the semi-finals, and the bronze could never quite replace the disappointment.
“This is the first medal in 60 years and the best World Cup away from home ever. So I hope the players can be proud of it one day,” Tuchel said.
“We are incredibly used to winning, so we almost do not allow ourselves to be proud of third place, because 18 months ago we set ourselves the highest goal: to reach the final and win the World Cup.
“So it hurts very, very much to fail. The pain will linger for some time.
Tuchel responds to critics after semi-final
After the semi-final loss to Argentina, Tuchel was in the firing line. Many thought he became too defensive after England took the lead early in the second half, and criticism hailed from all sides.
Before the bronze final, the pressure was enormous – and Tucel did not hide the fact that he reacted to the way he was greeted.
“Honestly, the press conference yesterday felt like we had gone into the group stage without a single win,” says the German.
“The best thing you can do is respond on the pitch and win the next game. Everything else is just talk – and talk doesn’t give points or victories.
“I’m glad we showed a reaction. It was exactly what we wanted, and it is very impressive.
Why Saka was scrapped in the semi-finals
Bukayo Saka’s magnificent hat-trick against France immediately made one big headline: why wasn’t the Arsenal star on the pitch against Argentina?
Tuchel admits he was wary of Saka due to an Achilles problem that the player has been struggling with for months – but still defends his choice.
“It was a tough choice to leave him out of the semi-finals,” Tuchel said.
“I had a feeling that Morgan Rogers could give us something extra with his physique against Argentina. We warmed up Saka several times during that game and were ready to switch, but the game became so chaotic that we eventually chose a different solution.
“But nothing has changed for me during this World Cup. Bukayo is a great teammate, a great footballer and a key player for us – and that’s not going to change. He showed it again today, and I’m happy for him.
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