England captain Harry Kane has backed Thomas Tuchel to succeed as England head coach amid criticism of his tactics in the World Cup semi-final defeat over Argentina.
Tuchel’s decision to try and maintain a slender 1-0 lead by switching to a back five after the final hydration break led to widespread fury as the Three Lions failed to hang on following sustained Argentina pressure.
The feeling was compounded further as England came out on top of a 10-goal thriller in the third-place play-off against France, seeing them secure their highest World Cup finish since 1966 and record their best finish on foreign soil.
In the aftermath of the defeat last Wednesday, Kane admitted that the decision to try and hold on had backfired. However, he has now publicly backed Tuchel to learn from England’s elimination and succeed as he guides the team towards Euro 2028.
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Thomas Tuchel spoke to reporters after England’s best World Cup finish since 1966.
“He’s a big reason why we are here,” Kane told Sky Sports. “He’s a big reason why we claimed our highest finish in 60 years.
“There are a lot of ‘what ifs?’ after the other night and it’s going to take time to process it. For him as well. Just because he is one of the best coaches in the world, doesn’t mean he is going to get it right every time. The players on the pitch are the same. We all make mistakes and we have to try and improve.
“The fans have the right to be angry. I think Thomas knew more than anyone when he took the job it was going to be high pressure and high stakes.
“He nearly took us all the way and he didn’t. People are going to try and place blame, that’s part and parcel of our job.
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Jamie Redknapp gives his thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup campaign and why he believes he should be replaced as England boss
“I think he needs time to process it all. It’s been a crazy journey. A lot of ups and obviously the one big down. It’s his first tournament as well. He’s learnt from the players, the pressure, the environment, the travelling.
“That will only make us better for the future.”
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Sky Sports football correspondent Rob Dorsett has been with England every step of the way at the World Cup – he reflects on England’s performance at the tournament and what could have been.
Kane hopeful of playing at 2030 World Cup
While there is a European Championships to contend with first, Kane is also hopeful he will have a part to play come the 2030 World Cup.
The Bayern Munich striker will be 36 when the tournament starts in four years’ time, but having broken the record for most World Cup goals for an Englishman this summer, the skipper hasn’t ruled out still being involved.
“I’m coming off the back of my best season ever and I’m turning 33. It’s impossible to say, four years is such a long way away.
“I’ve said it before, playing for England is my biggest ambition. I feel as good as I’ve ever felt. Let’s see. I never put a limit on these things. As long as I’m performing the way I am, then I’ll be representing England. But, four years is a long time. I’m not getting carried away.”
Should Kane and Tuchel be at the 2030 World Cup?
Sky Sports’ Callum Bishop:
There’s an element of the semi-final disappointment feeling so strong because you wonder how long it will be for an England team to be so ready win the big one again, especially considering the question marks over certain key figures when the 2030 World Cup rolls around.
We know Thomas Tuchel has vowed to be in charge for Euro 2028. That offers no guarantees about whether he remains in the hot seat for the two years after. However, if he manages to lead England to glory on home soil, the idea of World Cup redemption could be too tempting.
While the sentiment on him is currently mixed due to the Argentina defeat being saw raw, if those circumstances panned out, it would be the best case scenario.
What about Kane? At 36, many would expect him to be on the decline. Yet, we have just seen a 39-year-old Lionel Messi light up the tournament. And the reality is, there is no obvious player in place to take the mantle.
One of the big concerns for the FA has to be the lack of promising strikers coming through the ranks. Of course, a lot could happen between now and 2030, but all the signs are pointing towards Kane still being relied upon as a number nine.
The likes of Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson and more should all be in their prime. Could that be enough to service Kane who surely won’t be?
It’s a unique debate surrounding arguably England’s greatest ever player. Right now though, there seems no point in said debate without an obvious replacement waiting in the wings.
