Harry Kane revealed what England manager Thomas Tuchel said to his players at half-time of the World Cup win against Croatia on Wednesday.
England were pegged back twice in the first-half in Dallas, with Tuchel’s assistant Anthony Barry criticising the players in an interview with ITV at half-time, describing their display as “complicated and confusing.”
Yet the Three Lions came out in the second-half a team reinvigorated. Jude Bellingham put them back in front with a wonderful solo goal and Tuchel’s side could have been out of sight if it wasn’t for the brilliance of Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
But Marcus Rashford made sure of all three points with his well-taken goal five minutes from time and Kane, who went level with Gary Lineker as England’s all-time goalscorer at World Cups, explained that Tuchel told his players their philosophy must change.
“The manager gave a speech,” Kane said. “He just said: ‘If we lose, we lose, we lose in our way.’
“Without the ball, we went a bit more aggressive. In the second-half, we thought we just go. The intensity we went at, we have to do that more this tournament.
Asked if that was the framework for the rest of the World Cup, Kane said: “That second-half, for sure. Even the way we controlled the game, even when we went ahead, never looked like we were in danger.
“We had a spell there, first 20 minutes [of second-half] where we could have scored three or four. You can see the desire from Jude [Bellingham] in training, the competition we have in the place is high level, whoever plays is ready.”
Speaking to ITV after the game, Bellingham added: “The second-half especially, we showed what we were about, the team we want to be was shown. The first-half we were a bit nervy and cagey. But second-half was the platform.”
On Tuchel’s ‘speech’ at half-time, Bellingham said: “It wasn’t one of those where it was a big drama or shouting, it was just what the team needed. Everyone knew the level we needed to hit, the early goal gave us a good platform.
“Credit to the manager and his staff, they’ve put us the best place possible.”
On his performance, the Real Madrid midfielder said: “My responsibility is to the team and my country to give everything I have, with and without the ball, to the team, it’s been a long season for me, missed more camps than I would have wanted.
“The second half was more than flashes, to be honest, the constant level of intensity was unbelievable. That’s the mentality we want to have.”
England next face Ghana in Boston on Tuesday and a win will qualify Tuchel’s side for the knockout phase.
