Harry Kane has lifted the lid on Thomas Tuchel’s dressing room reaction following England’s hard-fought 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway on Saturday.
“We Can Do Better”: Kane opens up on Tuchel’s message to England players
The England captain revealed that the German head coach delivered a mixed message to his players after the match praising their achievement while making it clear there is still work to do.
“He just said there in the changing room, ‘Massive congratulations,’ and told us we should enjoy it and celebrate, but he knows we can do better,” Kane told reporters after the game.
Tuchel had earlier admitted England “got lucky” and “made life very, very difficult” for themselves during the win, comments that clearly struck a chord with the players.
The 32-year-old Bayern Munich striker agreed with his manager’s assessment, acknowledging that the team failed to produce their best football.
“It wasn’t our prettiest performance, we know that. I said before in the press conference that there’s another level we can reach. I still feel like we didn’t reach it as a team,” Kane said.
However, the England captain chose to view the situation positively, suggesting the criticism could serve as motivation.
“If we are in the semi-finals of a World Cup and knowing we can still improve and find another level, we have to take that as a positive,” he added.
Kane praised his teammates for their fighting spirit, singling out match-winner Jude Bellingham and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for special mention.
The Real Madrid midfielder, who scored both England goals, appeared less receptive to Tuchel’s criticism.
“Yeah well, whatever. It’s difficult out there, it’s a tough shift,” Bellingham responded when asked about his manager’s comments.
The 22-year-old suggested the German coach may not fully appreciate the challenges of facing Norway’s formidable attack.
“Maybe he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth,” Bellingham said.
Despite the disagreement, England now turn their attention to Wednesday’s semi-final against Argentina, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 CEST.
Kane insists the team’s togetherness will be crucial as they chase World Cup glory.
