It’s safe to say England’s statement performance and win over Croatia did not go unnoticed by their rivals.
Has Thomas Tuchel awoken a sleeping giant? That seems to be the pervading view across France, Germany, Argentina and beyond.
Despite twice letting their lead slip in the first half, the Three Lions came roaring back with a brilliant performance after the break to make the tournament’s other heavyweight nations sit up and take notice.
Unsurprisingly, in Spain the coverage focused on Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, who was given the nod to start over Morgan Rogers.
The headline in Marca read: ‘Finally, Bellingham!’
And the Madrid publication wrote that ‘this was the Bellingham England was waiting for’. ‘He repaid Tuchel’s faith in him,’ it went on.
The Germans were also highly complimentary, which is perhaps not their natural disposition when it comes to English football.
Marca in Spain wrote: ‘Finally Bellingham has arrived for England’
Even the Germans praised the England performance and called it an ‘explosion’, the headline read: ‘That was the best game of the World Cup’
Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon celebrate
BILD described England’s win over Croatia as ‘the best match of the World Cup’.
It was a sentiment echoed even in Argentina, where Ole declared: ‘England are showing glimpses of being contenders.’
Both teams put on a ‘total show’ and ‘fantastic’ match in which ‘Harry Kane shone brightest’.
L’Equipe in France went even further in praising Tuchel’s side, calling the performance a ‘masterclass’, ‘pure entertainment’ and ‘a hell of a show’.
In the Netherlands, De Telegraaf simply described the win as ‘dazzling’, while Clarin in Argentina called it a ‘thrashing’.
Kane fired England ahead from the spot with a penalty re-taken for encroachment that he’d initially missed before Martin Baturina fired Croatia level.
Kane then headed in from a corner to re-take the lead before his side again let it slip on the brink of half-time when Petar Musa slotted home.
Jude Bellingham restored the advantage after a sweeping team move before Marcus Rashford made sure of the result on the counter late on.
England face Ghana next on Tuesday and will be full of confidence, with even their old enemies talking them up.
Tuchel required an inspirational half-time team talk to help drive England to their victory on Thursday night.
Harry Kane was given a high rating out of 10 by the infamously strict L’Equipe
England ‘showed they are contenders’ according to Mundial’s report of the game
‘I sat down with them,’ he explained. ‘I gave them quiet time for themselves. I told them to calm down. We just conceded a goal. Calm down, calm their nerves and (then) encourage them to do it our way.’
‘I told them that my perception of them and of the last 17 days will not change because of this result,’ Tuchel further explained when asked how he had inspired such rapid change by Daily Mail Sport.
‘I said that no matter what the result is, I want them to do it their way, our way. I want them to be brave, courageous, intense, on the front foot, and do it together, and, and just go for it, and, and try to take it, and be active.
‘I encouraged them,’ he said. ‘It was short, it was calm. If they say it helped then even better.
‘But that was the main message: to just encourage them and tell them that we trust them and there is nothing, nothing to fear. It was ‘we’re gonna go for the win’ and ‘be active’.’
