Tuchel Holds England Clear-the-Air Meeting Before Argentina Semi-Final After 2-1 Norway Win
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Tuchel Holds England Clear-the-Air Meeting Before Argentina Semi-Final After 2-1 Norway Win
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Summary
Sunday night, Thomas Tuchel gathered England’s squad to debrief the fallout from the 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway and redirect focus to Wednesday’s semi-final against Argentina.
Jude Bellingham’s post-match remark that Tuchel could not grasp the heat and humidity had sharpened attention on the manager’s criticism, but Tuchel said they “come from the same place” and are now “more close than ever before.”
Tuchel defended Bellingham’s reaction as a normal response from an exhausted player after 120 minutes, arguing outside voices were trying to create “misunderstandings and cracks where no cracks are.”
Argentina, the next opponent, were described by Tuchel as a cohesive side “fuelled by history,” though he said England have the emotion, grit and mentality to match them.