England is two wins from ending 60 years of hurt. But the way they got there has Thomas Tuchel upset, and frankly, he doesn’t care who knows it.
The Three Lions beat Norway 2-1 in extra time on Saturday to reach the World Cup semifinals, where they’ll face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday. It was gritty. It was scrappy. And it ended Erling Haaland’s 14-game international scoring streak. But Tuchel didn’t like what he saw from the technical side.
After the match, he called it a “lucky win.” That didn’t sit well with everyone. Jude Bellingham, who scored both England goals and won Man of the Match, defended the performance publicly. But plenty of others piled on the manager for criticizing his own team after a win that kept their dream alive.
Henry backs the boss
Enter Thierry Henry. The French World Cup winner and FOX Sports analyst took Tuchel’s side during the broadcast, and he wasn’t subtle about it.
“He was talking about the technical aspect of the game. He wasn’t happy with how the players were playing,” Henry said. “I think he wasn’t happy with Madueke. He wasn’t happy with the speed. He wasn’t happy about it, that’s why he changed stuff straightaway. You don’t even need to ask that question. If he’s changing stuff, it’s because he’s not happy with what’s on the field.”
Henry kept going. “What we can’t doubt with this team is the mentality that they have and the grit. So no, I didn’t understand the question. … This is a good coach doing a good job.”
For what it’s worth, Henry has the credibility to make that argument stick. World Cup winner, Champions League winner, Ballon d’Or runner-up. He’s seen good coaching and bad coaching up close.
The whole thing sparked a debate online about whether managers should air that kind of frustration publicly after a win. Some fans and media thought Tuchel was being too honest. Others appreciated a coach who holds his team to a high standard even when they’re winning.
What’s next for England
Regardless of the blowback, the bottom line is this: England is one win away from the final. They’ve got Argentina next, which means containing Messi and a team that knows how to win knockout games. But the English have belief, even if their manager wants more from the football itself.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday. A win there, and all the talk about luck and technical problems goes quiet. For now, Tuchel’s squad keeps finding ways to survive. And that’s something Henry noticed too.
“This is a good coach doing a good job.”
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