Tuchel urges England to finish World Cup strongly after semi-final

England manager Thomas Tuchel has called on his squad to finish the World Cup strongly in an emotional address following their agonising semi-final defeat to Argentina. The players returned to their base in Kansas City after the 2-1 loss on Wednesday to undertake two final training sessions before Saturday's bronze-medal match against France in Miami.

Tuchel's message to the squad

Sources told BBC Sport that Tuchel, in a speech to his players, collectively encouraged them to put their disappointment behind them and end the tournament on a high. If England beat France to claim third place, it would be their best men's World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966. Tuchel also stressed how proud he was of their efforts in North America, as the Three Lions reached only a fourth World Cup semi-final in their history.

Tactical controversy and player disappointment

The relationship between the 52-year-old German and his players has become an emerging narrative following Argentina's comeback victory. BBC Sport reported on Thursday that a number of key players were disappointed with how the team were instructed to finish the game after taking the lead through Anthony Gordon. Tuchel reverted to a back five and made several defensive-minded substitutions in the closing stages, as Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic turnaround by assisting goals for Enzo Fernandez and then Lautaro Martinez's 92nd-minute winner.

However, Tuchel has since appeared to refute the idea that the defensive retreat was a result of his instructions. He said it was never the plan to drop deeper and added, "It's maybe not in our DNA... to control the game and ball." Tuchel is likely to be asked about his tactical approach in the pre-match news conference for the France game, scheduled for 00:30 BST on Saturday.

Tuchel's future and FA backing

The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss signed a two-year contract extension in February, having been appointed in January 2025 on an initial 18-month mission to win the 2026 World Cup. It is understood Tuchel retains the backing of the Football Association and is expected to lead the team into the 2028 European Championship, which will be hosted by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney has commented, "Stick with Tuchel unless Guardiola is available." Meanwhile, Alan Shearer wrote, "Tuchel did not deliver, but his time with England is not up."