England arrived back home from the World Cup on Sunday afternoon, after they finished their seven-week journey on a high in Miami.
The Three Lions fell short of winning football’s ultimate prize for the first time since 1966 after losing their semi-final 2-1 to Argentina on Wednesday, but restored pride with a thrilling 6-4 win over France in the bronze final.
Their victory in the Sunshine State meant they secured their best World Cup performance since their triumph 60 years ago.
The manner of Wedesday’s defeat, in which the Three Lions crumbled after taking the lead through Anthony Gordon, has led to increased scrutiny on manager Thomas Tuchel, who was hired to navigate the team through high-pressure matches after Gareth Southgate fell short during his tenure.
Tuchel said the widespread criticism aimed in his direction after the Argentina result felt as though England had been eliminated during the group stage.
Tuchel said: ‘The press conference yesterday [before the France win] felt as if we went out in group stage without a win, to be very honest.
‘Twenty-four hours later we had our biggest success in 60 years. I think the low and the drama about what happened against Argentina was too low, but that’s part of it.
‘The best thing you can do is react on the pitch and get the next win, everything else is just talking. Talking doesn’t get you points. Talking doesn’t get you wins. So you have to endure it. You have to hold it and be strong and keep believing. I’m glad that we showed that reaction. It’s very impressive.’
Tuchel does not believe he has lost the faith of England’s supporters either, as he added: ‘I don’t think that I lost the trust. Whatever happened in the final 30 minutes against Argentina, why it happened, whatever happened in the last 10 minutes, we were close, but it’s my job to take decisions. My decisions, my interventions, my substitutions, the change of structure.
‘It did not have the effect that I wanted, so I have to live with this. It’s very painful for me because I did it in good faith. I did it with a clear plan and a clear idea behind it. It didn’t work out so I take the blame and the responsibility.
‘But I strongly believe that we built more in this World Cup than we can lose in these 30 minutes, and me personally for a decision that turns out not to be effective. The pain will stay with me. The scar will stay with me and with the players and no one else.
‘In the end, we need to win the trust on a daily basis in international football. In seven, eight weeks we’re back together, it’s Nations League. We need to win the trust and build the trust. It’s never a given, so this is normal in a high-level sport that you have to prove yourself, you have to prove a point every single time that you compete.’
More to follow.
England are home after touching down in Birmingham following their World Cup journey
