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England are in the midst of a run of three matches against the top three sides in world football. That is unprecedented.Far from being a dead rubber, Saturday's third-place play-off against France has huge ramifications for how this World Cup will be remembered - and almost certainly for Thomas Tuchel's future.Let's be clear: the Football Association (FA) is still fully behind the England manager, and Tuchel said in the aftermath of the semi-final capitulation to Argentina that he is "100 per cent" committed to the role, up to and including the European Championships in 2028.But I have never before seen such an outpouring of criticism towards any England boss when the team has, on paper, had a largely successful World Cup.Remember, Tuchel's team has gone all the way to the semi-final of a major tournament and only lost to a team that contains the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi. A team that has won their last 15 knockout games and claimed the last three major international tournaments in which they have played (two Copa Americas and one World Cup).Despite that, Tuchel has been vilified. He has been roundly criticised from every quarter, including myself, for switching to a back five - and then bringing on a sixth defender in Nico O'Reilly - to try to protect a slender 1-0 lead in Atlanta.All of which meant England had no out-ball and no respite from the Messi onslaught.To add insult to injury, Tuchel went on to say he had "no regrets" about the decisions he'd taken and he thought the problem on the night was a systemic inability of English players to maintain possession, rather than any failings with his tactics. He repeated that sentiment in his press conference ahead of the France game.It was bullish in the extreme, as you might expect of any elite coach who is backed into a corner and for whom there is no room for self-doubt.But it has been made clear to me that it is not just some sections of the media and England's support that Tuchel has temporarily alienated. A number of players within Tuchel's squad - some of them senior - think the head coach got it wrong.There is frustration with their own performances for sure. The players themselves know they'd dropped too deep and failed to keep the ball effectively in the 17 minutes after they'd scored and before Tuchel made his first substitution.But there is bemusement at the tactical decisions which led to England blowing what one source said to me was "their best chance ever" to get to a World Cup final.So what now? A third-place play-off in Miami on Saturday that no one cares about? Actually - not so.France are the No. 1 ranked team in world football. They were the favourites to win the tournament here in the US and were the most dominant team right up until they lost, abjectly, to Spain.They have some of the best players on the planet right now in Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele. If England are not at their absolute best for this one, they could be not just beaten but embarrassed. Where would Tuchel be if that happened?If you look at it positively, this is a huge opportunity for Tuchel and England to make a lasting statement, one huge final scalp that may help lessen the negativity flying around after the Atlanta semi-final capitulation.Beating France would mean England had achieved their best finish at a World Cup since 1966 and they would likely jump to third place in the FIFA rankings. But on top of that, it would be a massive statement and another show of this squad's wonderful resilience and character after the crushing disappointment of crashing out of the tournament.We've seen it already in this World Cup. The magnificent backs-to-the-wall, gutsy win in the cacophonous Azteca Stadium when England were down to 10 men and fighting for their tournament lives. That, many argue, was England's greatest ever performance on foreign soil.We've seen it in the hot-box of Miami in the quarter-final, where despite a less-than-fluent performance and temperatures that felt like 44C, the squad again prevailed after 120 minutes.Can they pick themselves up one more time to go all-out against France? Importantly, can Tuchel motivate them to do exactly that after he publicly criticised their footballing pedigree and "DNA"?If not, there will surely be new questions in the halls of power at Wembley. Tuchel was employed as the serial winner, the knockout specialist, the man who had the nous to finally put a second star on the shirt.Back-to-back defeats against the two teams ranked first and third in the world would not reassure anyone that he can do it in the biggest of games.And then come Spain at Wembley in September. The third game of this tantalising but tortuous trio. Depending on what happens in Miami on Saturday night against France, that replaying of the 2024 Euros final could be make-or-break for Tuchel.That's why this game against France is so far from being a meaningless curtain-closer. It is absolutely crucial for Tuchel's future and the direction of travel for this England team.Twice before, in 1990 and 2018, England have lost this bronze-medal match. They will be desperately hoping to avoid a troubling hat-trick.

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The Arsenal midfielder talks about how Luis de la Fuente has created a team built on respect and how they plan to beat Argentina in the World Cup finalThe night before the biggest day of their lives, the Spain players who were about to win the 2010 World Cup gathered in the Da Vinci Hotel in Sandton, just north of Johannesburg, drank hot chocolate, ate chocolate croissants and talked. The night before the biggest day of their lives, the Spain players seeking to emulate them 16 years later will gather in the MC Montclair in New Jersey and talk too, but there won’t be any chocolate this time. Some rituals are not to be repeated.“I think the nutritionists killed that one for us!” Mikel Merino says, hopping off the bus, freshly tuned up for the final, and heading into a tactics room at the Melanie Lane training ground, where Spain’s penultimate day of preparation is about to begin. “We used to do the Cola Cao and cakes in the under-19s and under-21s, copying the seniors, but not any more. Everyone has their own routine, but the main thing is to normalise it all: just another game, doing something we know how to do, that we’ve done since we were five years old and that we love. Treat it like something to be enjoyed, another day in our lives.”Some day. Some year too. “Spectacular,” Merino calls it. “Just the other day we were talking about this; if you had given me the chance, I would have signed up for this: going through the bad moments to have a year like this is incredible. The experiences I’ve been through, that my family have.” A Premier League title, a Champions League final, the birth of his first child and a World Cup final. And the injury that threatened it all. “I’m living every minute with an incredible joy,” he says. “Think where I was a few months ago and look where I am now. I appreciate this all the more.”The Spain coach, Luis de la Fuente, told Merino he would wait but the stress fracture in his foot defied easy analysis at first. “When they told me about my injury I didn’t think I would be at the World Cup,” the 30-year-old admits. Merino was operated on at the end of January, which actually came as relief because it meant that at least there was clarity, at least they were doing something. He spent two months on crutches. And then he went to work: hard.There were days he spent alone, others where he had help from his wife, lifting and carrying, which he said was the wrong way round: she was pregnant, but showed a strength without which he wouldn’t have made it. He learned that he was strong too, stronger than even he had imagined. But still, he played just 28 minutes between January and the World Cup, flying off and leaving his newly born son, Marco, behind. “Just being here is a victory for me,” he says. “God willing we can win it.”That Spain still can, that they made it this far, owes much to him, more super than a supersub. Like Lautaro Martínez, on the opposite side in the final, Merino has been a saviour from the bench. “Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine this,” he says, and yet he sort of did: this is what he prepares for, what he does. He doesn’t just sit there and he certainly doesn’t sulk; he studies.At Euro 2024, on as a substitute against Germany in Stuttgart, Merino scored the 119th-minute goal that took Spain into the semi-finals. Here, he scored the 91st-minute goal against Portugal that took Spain into the quarter-finals. There was only one problem: his wife and son weren’t there in Dallas. So four days later in Los Angeles, when they were, he went and did it again against Belgium. The clock had shown 85min 32sec when he came on; it said 87:27 when he scored the winner. He had just two touches: almost as significant as the strike itself was the alertness to set the ball rolling in the first place.All three goals were celebrated the same way, famous now. Merino circled the corner flag like his father, Ángel Miguel, had done when he scored late for Osasuna in the same Stuttgart stadium 33 years earlier. Win the World Cup and he can definitively say he was the better player, surely? “My mum won’t buy that one, not even with a World Cup,” he says, laughing. “I’m proud to follow in my dad’s footsteps, to have learnt all I’ve learnt from him, and the respect will always be there … even if I have the medal!“Coming from the bench isn’t the ideal plan for any player, but when you join a national team that’s as strong as I and Lautaro have, you value every opportunity and try to help your team if you come on or if you don’t. You focus on the present, embrace the situation, and think of yourself as the guy who can do it. I have complete belief in myself, my ability: every time I come on to the pitch I think I can have impact. In the final, I hope anyone [Spanish] is the hero. The trophy belongs to all of you, not just the 11 on the pitch.”He continues: “It’s important to have ego as a footballer. With all the criticism from outside, you need it. But you also need the humility. Players come to the national team because they’re important [at their clubs] and find a new reality. It is easy to talk about ‘family’ but when things don’t go well, when they’re difficult, is when you truly see that. It’s thanks to Luis and the squad he assembled, focused on being a good human first and then being a good footballer. That helps a lot when it comes to spending a lot of time together. We know each other very well, we know when to joke, when to be silent; that’s the strength of the group. That after 46, 47 days all together, we’re still …”There’s a pause and Merino laughs. Don’t get the wrong idea. “I wouldn’t say we were bursting to spend another two months together,” he says, cracking up. “Thank God, we’re coming to an end now, but, yes, we’re a very strong group. That’s why we’re here.” There may be no hot chocolate and no croissants any more but some meet round the PlayStation, others play Mario Kart or chess, Dani Olmo and Unai Simón battling on the bus to games. Merino is old school, more about the sobremesa: long conversations after eating, no hurry to leave the table, “chatting about life, our kids, the future, holidays”.“I think a couple they’re planning to go away together [after the World Cup],” he says. “Which is … impressive … after all this time. I don’t expect to see anyone!”That collectiveness has deep roots, built on respect and over a long time. After the semi-final, De la Fuente said there was a special embrace with some, a moment’s nostalgia allowed to creep in: look what we did. His first title was the European Under-19s in 2015, 11 years ago now. In the middle of the Spain midfield that day were Merino and Rodri. Simón was on the bench. Ten of the current squad have played under De la Fuente at junior level.“I was talking to the coach about that the other day because it was the anniversary of that tournament,” Merino says. “We were saying ‘how we’ve changed’ But the essence is the same: the essence of the coach, of the players that came through. That’s the strength of the group. There are more grey hairs, more wrinkles, more worries, but the humility and commitment remains.“Luis has had [many of] us at under-17, under-19, under-21. That’s so important. Not just for him, who knows each and every one of us and knows what we can give, which is a guarantee for a coach. But for the players too: you’ve experienced everything with him, good and bad, and you don’t have to give him anything new, you know? He knows what you can give: you don’t need to pull anything out of the hat. He takes you because he knows you as a person and a player. The group knows he has total faith in them and he knows the group will give our lives for him.”Which is why when Spain lost in Scotland at the start of De la Fuente’s tenure, which from the outside seemed destined to be brief, there was belief. Since then Spain have lost once in 37 games – and that was on penalties in the Nations League final. They have won a Nations League, a Euros and now they have a World Cup final too.“Often, it’s more a case of believing than something you actually see,” Merino says. “We have a very good group, a generation of players whose level is high. We knew there was potential there, we could see things happening. Even that night in Scotland, when many people gave us up for dead or thought it wasn’t going to go well with this generation, we trusted in what we were doing, we knew the group was spectacular. And, look, it’s paid off: we were proven right.”So to Spain versus Argentina. To Messi versus Lamine. And that photo. “It’s unbelievable,” Merino says. “The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI, that it wasn’t even real. It is funny how life works sometimes: it has these special situations that you think are scripted by someone but it is just the coincidence of life. It’s unbelievable that two of the best to have played the game – hopefully Lamine in the future will be one of those – share a picture like that. It’s old, from a couple of years ago now, so I think all the jokes have been done [in here]. But it’s incredible.“What can I say about Messi? Just see the way he’s playing, how good he is at 39. I don’t know if this will be his last game, his last final. But it’s an incredible challenge to play against him. It will be an intense game, which it has to be: it’s a World Cup final. There will be contact, intense duels, but that’s why you have a referee: to control that. We have to ensure the ball moves fast. The less time it spends with each of us, the less chance they have of making fouls.”And then play, like it was any other day, like Spain always did. “I remember how it felt to watch that [2010] generation make history,” Merino says. “You think about that. You think about being a kid back then, watching players who were idols for me and my teammates. You think about how you dreamed of living that one day, how watching them motivated you. And then you think that you’re the ones representing your country now, you’re the ones this new generation of kids are watching, and it’s something magical.”

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England’s coach said ball possession is not in the team’s DNA – it’s an opinion that should disqualify him from the jobHow we talked. On late-night news shows, disembodied heads above a rolling yellow banner. On planes and trains, at bus stops and flower shops and kids’ birthday parties, trying desperately to connect the ennui of the now with the vividness of the later, trying on some level to anticipate the feelings, the blood surge, the heart rush. At the sinks in the office toilets, jerthinktheylldoit, theyactuallymighty’know, shake-shake, and your devastating analysis of the Rice-Anderson-Mainoo triple pivot gets lost in the noise of the hand-dryer.Two years of this. Countless millions sunk on tickets, hotels, Ubers, shirts, pizzas, flags, the hours spent on Google Maps trying to locate somewhere to eat after 11pm in Riga, the endless psychodrama over Jude Bellingham and whether he should have been left at home or not (turns out, not). How we bled and sweated over this, over the minor details of the journey, over whether Danny Welbeck had done enough to earn a place in the squad or not (turns out, not). All pointing towards the moment on Wednesday evening when England are 1-0 up in a World Cup semi-final against Argentina and your entire happiness rests on whether a bunch of millionaire footballers and a millionaire German coach can keep their shit together for 40 minutes, or not.Turns out, not. And out there, on the ragged shores of This England, there is a view already beginning to take shape. That while Thomas Tuchel’s substitutions may have cemented Argentina’s territorial dominance, England were basically under the pump long before that point, already dropping back and committing to a defensive rearguard. That this is in fact a wider malaise, perhaps even a kind of moral deficiency, a long and persistent pattern of failure in which – say – getting destroyed 4-1 by Germany in 2010 and losing to France in 2022 with 57% possession are basically the same offence, a common sickness, the same lozenge in different flavours.And you have to challenge these things at source, because if you don’t challenge them they become established fact, whether or not they’re actually true. Well, I’ve watched the tape back so you don’t have to. Specifically, the 13 minutes from Anthony Gordon’s goal hitting the net to the second drinks break. In those 13 minutes England have to weather quite a bit of Argentina pressure. There are corners, crosses, a header from Nicolás González that Jordan Pickford gets down well to save. But none of this is remotely out of the ordinary.Indeed pretty much as soon as Argentina kick off they gift England another opening, Lisandro Martínez letting the ball run under his foot, Morgan Rogers winning possession, and Harry Kane not quite able to control his pass. By 61 minutes England have pressed Argentina back into their own third. In the subsequent minutes Kane and Declan Rice will both have low-percentage shots from distance.The problem here is not tactics, not fatalism, not an endemic national culture of failure, but poor decision-making, perhaps reinforced by fatigue. Lionel Messi is not yet running the game, and none of what follows is inexorable or inevitable, let alone generational. The drinks break arrives and England can rest for a few minutes, perhaps even make a sub or two to freshen things up. It is at this point that Tuchel decides to blow up England’s chances of winning the World Cup.As a counterfactual, what would have a more optimistic and effective response looked like at this point? Kane was clearly out on his feet, and keeping him in play for the faint possibility of penalties in an hour was madness. So Ollie Watkins comes on to stretch the play and lead the press. This is no longer a game for Rogers and so you throw on Bukayo Saka, not just for his defensive skill but his ability to dribble his way out of pressure and feast on the spaces that will open up. Above all you trust in the process, the sense of purpose and ambition and unity that knows that World Cups are won, not survived.“If we lose, we lose in our way,” Tuchel told his players at half-time in the opening game against Croatia, a call to arms that generated some of the most thrilling football England have played at a major tournament in my lifetime. Where did that go, Thomas? Or: where did that Thomas go? Perhaps at some point on the road to the Azteca, or in the heat of Miami, Tuchel lost the simple faith that had brought England to this point.This is how you end up with six defenders on the pitch, with Saka and Watkins and Kobbie Mainoo and Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke all fresh and unused on the bench, with Cole Palmer and Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold and Adam Wharton and Morgan Gibbs-White at home. Between the second hydration break and the second Argentina goal, England had less than 8% possession, completed just five passes in 25 minutes, allowed a 39-year-old player from Major League Soccer to play exactly the sort of game he would have craved.Let us not relitigate every single one of these decisions in isolation; what is being argued here is a broader direction of travel. For an England fan this is perhaps the part that hurts the most: we believed in this team and these players right to the end. What if Tuchel never really believed in them at all?“Ball possession is not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or the Argentinian or Brazilian DNA,” Tuchel said after the game. If this was once undeniably true, it is now at best arguable and at worst a form of gaslighting that should disqualify Tuchel from the job on the spot. Rice, Saka, Mainoo, Elliot Anderson, Eze, Reece James, John Stones: based on what we know of them at club level, are these players who have trouble keeping the ball? Perhaps it is no wonder that in subsequent days reports have emerged from the England camp that the players themselves were unhappy with Tuchel’s safety-first approach: an approach that left them with no outlets, no options, no tools except the bluntest of all.These are players who want to play football, who want to express themselves, backed by thousands who emptied their life savings to travel, to pursue, to feel something. This is no longer a nation that punches pitifully below its weight at international level, that neglects the tactical and technical aspects of the game, that quivers at the thought of penalties. Is it unreasonable to demand a coach who sees what these players can do, rather than imagine what they can’t? There are those who argue soberly that changing the coach at this point is a triumph of emotion rather than reason, that there is nobody better out there, that there is a lucrative contract that needs to be honoured.But for a coach hired to win these hinge moments, detonating a World Cup semi-final feels like the ultimate red-flag behaviour. And beyond this the small-mindedness, the absence of ambition, the audacity required to neg the entire English game rather than admit to one’s own cowardice. Tuchel was hired to unleash the considerable potential of a supreme generation of English footballing talent. From what we’ve seen, it’s not immediately clear whether he can even see it.

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The rules are simple. Each day there's a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.So take part and return for more tomorrow.Today's player and clues set by BBC Sport's Joe Rindl.After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsFootballFIFA World Cup 2026Play more quizzesAll our Who Am I? quizzes in one placeQuiz: Name every nation at the Fifa World Cup 2026Can you name the 10 Lionesses with most England caps?World Cup quiz: Name these top nations' leading scorers

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Head coach refuses to engage in ‘blame game’ after defeat by ArgentinaTrump joins critics of Tuchel’s tactics in World Cup semi-final eliminationThomas Tuchel has insisted he is not interested in engaging in the “blame game” over England’s World Cup elimination and vowed to close the gap on the leading nations.Even Donald Trump has joined criticism of Tuchel’s tactics in the semi-final defeat by Argentina, with the US president questioning why he made Harry Kane “a defensive player” as England attempted to hold on to a 1-0 lead. But before the third-place playoff against France in Miami on Saturday night that was described by Tuchel as “the match no one wants to play in”, England’s head coach defiantly stood by his decisions and said that he and his players must learn from their experiences.“I believe that three other nations [in the semi-finals] have almost expectations to win the title. This is not us,” said Tuchel. “France, Spain, Argentina expect almost they’re on that level that they expect to win. We are not there yet. There is still a gap to close. This is what we will do from tomorrow. We will not stop. We will not stop hunting. We will not stop challenging. We have things to improve in a football matter. And this is the context. So there is not a lot of room for drama. If drama is needed, if the blame game needs to be played, OK, we can do that. But I have the right to not engage.”Asked whether he had any regrets over his decisions after 48 hours of reflection, Tuchel added: “I felt that we had to do something different for the team, and I took a decision, trusting my instinct, my intuition, my experience, trusting my competitiveness, and I took the decision in order to help the team and get the result. But the decisions are made under stress. The decisions are made in game. I would regret it if we didn’t react. But I have no regrets over the decision itself.”Tuchel also dismissed Trump’s comments that were made earlier during a press conference with the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino. “They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence,” said Trump. “We have got to be a little offensive, right? But no I’m not going to call it. What do I know about coaching? It was unusual.”Tuchel at first questioned whether “you use Donald Trump as your witness?” when asked about his comments. But he was adamant that Kane had merely been following instructions.“We defended in a deep block. That’s what you do if you defend in a block. You defend in a block,” he said. “We were not active enough. We could not escape the deep block. That is what teams build: togetherness and mentality is translated to in football terms. We defend as a 10 and as an 11. Together as a team, the team spirit, the togetherness, the mentality that this team built in the last six and a half weeks, is not to be questioned.”England trained at their Kansas City base for the last time on Friday but their arrival to Miami – the venue for their quarter-final victory over Norway – was delayed by thunderstorms in the area. Jude Bellingham and Jordan Henderson were among the players who were pictured sampling a barbecue on Thursday night. John Stones admitted that it had been hard to process the pain of defeat.“We are still going through a lot of suffering and pain,” he said. “The nature of this game is we as players take things very personally. That’s why we are where we are and why we’re always striving for more. I think everyone felt that [we could win it]. That’s why to go out in a semi-final hurts even more because we believed so much and didn’t get to where we believe we should be.”

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Senior football correspondent in MiamiPublished13 minutes ago2 CommentsEngland head coach Thomas Tuchel has defended his tactical decisions during the World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina in a tense news conference.Addressing the media before Saturday's third-place play-off against France in Miami, Tuchel said "if you need someone to blame, I take the responsibility".But the German head coach insisted he had no regrets and said he and his team felt the pain most of all, describing it as the "scar we carry now".England were minutes away from reaching their first men's World Cup final for 60 years.But a 1-0 lead agonisingly turned to a 2-1 defeat in the closing stages as England's defence got deeper and deeper under constant pressure from the brilliance and perseverance of Lionel Messi's world champions.During the news conference Tuchel also said:England's team spirit should not be questioned, but his side became "too passive" in the latter stagesThere is a gap to the top teams and he will not stop trying to close itThe Mexico and Norway games had an impact by taking a lot physically out of the playersCaptain Harry Kane ended up so deep because "that's what you do if you defend in a block".Stick with Tuchel unless Guardiola is available - Rooney"If you're asking if I regret my decision, if this is the question, then I don't regret my decisions," he added."I felt that the momentum switches in the match. And I tried to help my team..."I took several decisions, trusting my instinct, my intuition, my experience, trusting my competitiveness, and I took the decision in order to help the team and get the result. We didn't get the result."So I take, of course, the responsibility and for these decisions. I would regret if I didn't help. I would regret if we didn't react."Tuchel said he was not willing to engage "in this kind of game" over who is to blame."No problem," he said. "This is the deal that you sign up for, but I will not engage."For me, there is no-one to blame. If you need someone to blame, I take the responsibility. I'm the head coach."Asked why England's record goalscorer Kane played so deep in the latter stages, he said: "What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes?"Why we defended in a deep block. Well, that's what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough."Tuchel said Argentina had "played with a lot of momentum after our goal"."They had a lot of offensive changes, and a lot of offensive positions," the 52-year-old added."We could not stop the crosses, and we could not stop the runners into the box."So we decided to play a back five, to have more width in the field, to be closer to the guys who cross."We just became too passive, and Argentina, by the way, found another gear and they found the total flow."We played in the semi-final against the reigning world champions."We were 85 minutes 1-0 up. We played against the best player in the world, and we lost 2-1, which is painful."Tuchel was asked if he had studied data which showed England's physical performance levels against Argentina were lower than the DR Congo game in the same stadium earlier in the tournament.He said "even if we don't want to admit it because it feels like an excuse", the Mexico game with 10 men in the altitude of the Azteca Stadium and the heat against Norway in Miami "cost us more than we maybe thought"."The players literally gave everything physically [in] every single match. If you see this data drop, there must be a reason behind it, because the motivation was through the roof," he said.Tuchel explained his pain at the semi-final defeat, which came after Argentina scored in the 85th and 92nd minutes."We feel the most pain of all, and it is our scar that we carry now," he said."It's our pain, my pain, and the players' pain."It is a very painful defeat, and we have to live with this defeat, first and foremost, not the critics, not the experts, not our family members, who suffer as well with us, and want only the best for us."We will overcome it, we will use it, we will have a reaction, and it starts from tomorrow."If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years. It's a perspective to it."Tuchel said the loss showed that England still had a gap to close."We believed we could do it," he added. "We were dreaming about it."Still, I believe that three other nations have almost an expectation to win the title, not us."France, Spain, Argentina [are] almost there on that level that they expect to win."We are not there yet. There is still a gap to close. And this is what we will do."This is what we will do from tomorrow. We will not stop chasing. We will not stop hunting, we will not stop challenging."The pain was etched all over Tuchel's face.It was his final pre-match news conference of the World Cup.Not the setting he wanted, of course. He didn't want to be here in Miami.Tuchel had designs on being in the Big Apple this weekend for the World Cup final.Instead, he's in the Sunshine State preparing for the bronze-medal game against France.Not that there was much sunshine in his mood as he addressed the media.The pain of the semi-final loss to Argentina has been exacerbated by the stinging criticism he has faced from supporters, pundits and journalists over England's defensive retreat in the closing stages.Tuchel roused himself enough to provide a passionate defence of his efforts during the late capitulation against Argentina.But the agony was inescapable. Everyone in the room could sense it.Of course, we can forgive him that. It's not easy to sit there and answer questions so soon after such a heart-breaking loss.The fact the vast majority of the questions centred around his own personal performance against Argentina was perhaps another reason why he wasn't his usual personable self.But he fronted up and didn't shirk the flurry of uncomfortable questions that came his way.'Passive' and 'crumbled' - did Tuchel's defensive tactics cost England?Effort, spirit and moments - but do England lack all-round quality?When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC Sport

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719 CommentsUnited States President Donald Trump has joined criticism of England's tactics in their World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, by questioning Harry Kane's second-half "defensive" role.Manager Thomas Tuchel's second-half substitutions have been criticised by pundits and supporters following the 2-1 defeat, as Argentina scored two late goals to set up Sunday's final against Spain (20:00 BST).BBC Sport reported on Thursday how a number of key players had been left disappointed at how England were instructed to finish the game having taken the lead through Anthony Gordon.Tuchel reverted to a back five and made a number of defensive-minded substitutions in the closing stages as Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic comeback."You have a great player in England who I've played golf with. And he is Harry [Kane] who has been fantastic," said Trump."I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence."We got to be a little offensive, right. But no, I'm not going to call it, what do I know about coaching? But that was a little unusual."Tuchel was quick to brush off Trump's criticisms when mentioned to him in a news conference later.Speaking at Trump Tower during a reception on Friday, the president also spoke about the moment he asked Fifa to review USA striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension.Balogun, 25, was set to miss his side's last-16 tie against Belgium after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.But Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism.Trump said: "This has been a tournament like no other. Filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments. Probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman... is it a red card?"And I was forced to call Gianni [Infantino]. I said 'Gianni, I'd like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game!' No, I didn't say that. I said I'd like to wage a complaint."And actually I had no idea what was going to happen, but you know it is so much better the way it worked out because there is no controversy. [Belgium] won the game and our team had all of its players. You made another great decision if you think about it, but you'll never get credit for it."Trump also thanked Fifa president Infantino and described the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada as "the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world".Infantino said the World Cup had "exceeded expectations"."The American dream, Mr President, came to reality. We united the world in America," he said."This is not just the greatest World Cup of all times, it is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and we are all part of it and for this I thank you very much, Mr President."Sports editorPresident Donald Trump's praising of Gianni Infantino for "another great decision" over Fifa's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's ban will stoke one of the World Cup's most serious and damaging controversies.Infantino has previously denied that Trump's lobbying of him over the forward's red card was why it was lifted, and that Fifa's disciplinary committee is independent.But Trump's latest comments will only reinforce suspicions Fifa may have allowed political interference to undermine the integrity of its competition, and could deepen the crisis of trust sparked by the case.The sight of the two men congratulating each other on the World Cup at Trump Tower also serves as a reminder of the close relationship between the pair, something critics argue weakens Fifa's commitment to political neutrality.Trump and Infantino can point to record ticket sales, and bumper TV audiences in the US.The expanded tournament has also provided plenty of drama and excitement, while many visitors were impressed by the stadiums, and security plans have been a success.However, the record financial costs facing fans have led to questions over whether Fifa really needs to make as much money as it has here.The introduction of hydration breaks and an expanded half-time break at the final, along with talk of a further expansion to 64 teams, has also dismayed traditionalists, and led to fears over the commercialisation of the event.Meanwhile, the various visa-related controversies at the start of the tournament undermined claims this would be the most inclusive and welcoming World Cup ever.With fans, teams and officials affected by US foreign and immigration policy, Infantino faced claims he had lost control of his own tournament, and was condemned for telling critics to "chill and relax".Infantino may have plenty of questions to answer, not least over the Balogun case. But standing alongside Trump, he spoke and looked like a man supremely confident in his position.Why? Fifa is predicted to bring in record revenues of $9bn this year. Many countries depend on this money to develop their game.As a result, Infantino retains significant support around the world, and therefore looks certain to win re-election next year.'Chaos v calm' - Sutton's World Cup final and third-place predictionsAre Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup?Pele at the Azteca? England in '66? Ranking the best World Cup finals

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14 CommentsUnited States President Donald Trump has joined criticism of England's tactics in their World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, by questioning Harry Kane's second-half "defensive" role.Manager Thomas Tuchel's second-half substitutions have been criticised by pundits and supporters following the 2-1 defeat, as Argentina scored two late goals to set up Sunday's final against Spain (20:00 BST).BBC Sport reported on Thursday how a number of key players had been left disappointed at how England were instructed to finish the game having taken the lead through Anthony Gordon.Tuchel reverted to a back five and made a number of defensive-minded substitutions in the closing stages as Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic comeback."You have a great player in England who I've played golf with. And he is Harry [Kane] who has been fantastic," said Trump."I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence."We got to be a little offensive, right. But no, I'm not going to call it, what do I know about coaching? But that was a little unusual."Tuchel was quick to brush off Trump's criticisms when mentioned to him in a news conference later.Speaking at Trump Tower during a reception on Friday, the president also spoke about the moment he asked Fifa to review USA striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension.Balogun, 25, was set to miss his side's last-16 tie against Belgium after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.But Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism.Trump said: "This has been a tournament like no other. Filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments. Probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman... is it a red card?"And I was forced to call Gianni [Infantino]. I said 'Gianni, I'd like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game!' No, I didn't say that. I said I'd like to wage a complaint."And actually I had no idea what was going to happen, but you know it is so much better the way it worked out because there is no controversy. [Belgium] won the game and our team had all of its players. You made another great decision if you think about it, but you'll never get credit for it."Trump also thanked Fifa president Infantino and described the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada as "the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world".Infantino said the World Cup had "exceeded expectations"."The American dream, Mr President, came to reality. We united the world in America," he said."This is not just the greatest World Cup of all times, it is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and we are all part of it and for this I thank you very much, Mr President."Sports editorPresident Donald Trump's praising of Gianni Infantino for "another great decision" over Fifa's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's ban will stoke one of the World Cup's most serious and damaging controversies.Infantino has previously denied that Trump's lobbying of him over the forward's red card was why it was lifted, and that Fifa's disciplinary committee is independent.But Trump's latest comments will only reinforce suspicions Fifa may have allowed political interference to undermine the integrity of its competition, and could deepen the crisis of trust sparked by the case.The sight of the two men congratulating each other on the World Cup at Trump Tower - while not taking questions from the media - also serves as a reminder of the close relationship between the pair, something critics argue weakens Fifa's commitment to political neutrality.Trump and Infantino can point to record ticket sales, and bumper TV audiences in the US.The expanded tournament has also provided plenty of drama and excitement, while many visitors were impressed by the stadiums, and security plans have been a success.However, the record financial costs facing fans have led to questions over whether Fifa really needs to make as much money as it has here.The introduction of hydration breaks and an expanded half-time break at the final, along with talk of a further expansion to 64 teams, has also dismayed traditionalists, and led to fears over the commercialisation of the event.Meanwhile, the various visa-related controversies at the start of the tournament undermined claims this would be the most inclusive and welcoming World Cup ever.With fans, teams and officials affected by US foreign and immigration policy, Infantino faced claims he had lost control of his own tournament, and was condemned for telling critics to "chill and relax".Infantino may have plenty of questions to answer, not least over the Balogun case. But standing alongside Trump, he spoke and looked like a man supremely confident in his position.Why? Fifa is predicted to bring in record revenues of $9bn this year. Many countries depend on this money to develop their game.As a result, Infantino retains significant support around the world, and therefore looks certain to win re-election next year.'Chaos v calm' - Sutton's World Cup final and third-place predictionsAre Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup?Pele at the Azteca? England in '66? Ranking the best World Cup finals

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Spain defender Aymeric Laporte claims Argentina are a team that "likes to leave a mark on their opponents" and "that sort of thing shouldn't be allowed in football".European champions Spain face reigning world champions Argentina in the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday (20:00 BST).Argentina adopted a physical approach for their semi-final against England, when they scored two late goals to win 2-1 - having committed 15 fouls.Just three minutes into the game, Enzo Fernandez set the tone with a forceful challenge on Elliot Anderson from behind - appearing to strike the back of the England player's neck - but he was not even cautioned.England fans were also convinced that Argentina's winning goal should have been ruled out for a foul by Lionel Messi on Djed Spence."It's the referee's job to keep a handle on these things so the situation doesn't get out of hand," former Manchester City player Laporte told Spanish sports newspaper Marca., external"If one or two players are allowed to act that way, the match descends into chaos."Laporte, 32, added: "I'm not at all worried about aggression within the context of football. If it's within the rules and the referee does their job, I have no problem with it."It is true, however, that in recent matches we've seen things that really surprised us - actions that were allowed to slide."Especially with Argentina. They're a team that likes to leave a mark on their opponents. That sort of thing shouldn't be allowed in football - particularly in major competitions - because it can unsettle you and make you angry."Are Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup?Egypt were leading 2-0 before Argentina came back to score three late goals, with their winner coming in the 92nd minute.But both Spain boss Luis de la Fuente and captain Rodri were diplomatic when asked about Argentina's tactics in a news conference in New York on Friday."I respect everybody's opinions and I would say I have the utmost admiration for [Argentina] who have been the champions of America and the world," said De La Fuente, who is looking to lead Spain to their first world title since 2010."I have admiration and further admiration."Manchester City midfielder Rodri added: "We will see how game plays out."I like to think [Argentina] are a team that gives their utmost and they don't go down that road."But if we enter such a stage of the game we have to ignore that and play our game so we do not get into provocations."De La Fuente, who said teenage winger Lamine Yamal is fit after sitting out training, preferred to talk up Sunday's final instead of focus on Argentina's tactics."On Sunday we will watch a great show, two great national teams, very similar in some aspects in terms of attitudes and talent," he added."I think it is going to be an amazing final, each team will try and take the game to their own side."I believe both Spain and Argentina will have a gameplan where talent and good football will rule over everything else."The referee will be there to support us and that the football is at a level expected of a World Cup final."Three-time world champions Argentina are looking to become the first team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win back-to-back men's World Cups.Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni was not asked about his side's tactics during his news conference on Friday.However, he did talk about about his friendship with Spain boss De La Fuente, formed in 2017 when De la Fuente was an instructor as Scaloni studied for his professional coaching licence."He knows me from a personal point of view," said Scaloni."We are friends but that doesn't mean he knows what I am thinking about when it comes to football."We haven't really been talking about playing style. We do have similar patterns of play when it comes to trying to have possession of the ball."I hope the game on Sunday will be a great show."'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meetingHow World Cup final could be pivotal in Ballon d'Or raceHow coach-on-pitch Messi undid England's tactics on the fly

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The top stories and transfer rumours from Saturday's newspapers...Arsenal are preparing an offer for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, who has yet to agree a new deal with Villa - Daily MailArsenal are continuing discussions over Morgan Rogers with his representatives and Aston Villa - Daily MailAston Villa continue to explore the market for wingers, with the likes of West Ham's Crysencio Summerville and Ibrahim Mbaye at PSG among names on their radar - Daily MailCrystal Palace value Chelsea target Maxence Lacroix at up to £60m - The SunMaxence Lacroix wants to leave Crystal Palace amid interest from Chelsea - The TimesIpswich Town have had a £2.5million bid rejected for FC Volendam goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen - Daily MailHull are set to sign Olympiacos' Konstantis Tzolakis as Ivor Pandur's replacement in goal - The SunBack Pages is a review of the sports headlines from the national newspapers, every Monday to Friday, live on Sky Sports News from 10.30pm. Missed the show? Catch up on the latest news with the Back Pages podcast.Thomas Tuchel's appointment as England head coach in 2024 did not gain the unanimous backing of FA board members. Some strongly believed the job should go to an English candidate, rather than someone who had not previously managed an international team - The TimesLiverpool winger Rio Ngumoha is in the frame to be part of Thomas Tuchel's squad next season as the England head coach builds a team to challenge for Euro 2028 - The TelegraphThomas Tuchel has privately rejected accusations that he encouraged his England team to try to hang on against Argentina in their World Cup semi-final defeat - The TelegraphOne of the leading physiologists in sport believes England's players went into their game against Argentina burdened by severe fatigue - The Times

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The White House has defended the Argentinian football team's right to free speech after they controversially waved a banner in support of their country's territorial claim to the Falkland Islands while celebrating their World Cup win against England.Argentina face potential disciplinary action from Fifa over the incident which could breach rules on political statements.Asked whether players were in the wrong, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Fifa task force, said on Friday that the team had the opportunity and ability to "make those statements" in the US.The comments could further fuel the row over the incident, which has seen Downing Street back calls for Fifa to investigate.The Falklands, a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, remains the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina.Players for Argentina held a banner after Wednesday's semi-final match reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falklands are Argentine".Speaking to reporters on Friday, Giuliani referenced free speech protections in the US Constitution, saying: "We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America."Downing Street backed calls for Fifa to investigate the incident, with the prime minister's official spokesperson saying: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver."No 10 added that any potential action against Argentina players who unveiled the banner was "a matter for Fifa", but echoed the view of Business Secretary Peter Kyle that world football's governing body should investigate.For its part, the government of the Falkland Islands said it was "disappointed but not surprised" about the banner and it hopes Fifa will "sanction all behaviour of this nature in line with its own rules"."We do not wish to see politics being brought into sport" a statement added."Nor do we wish the Islands and their people to be used as a political football in every conversation about England and Argentina".In 2013, the people of the Falkland Islands voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory.Of 1,517 votes cast in the two-day referendum - on a turnout of more than 90% - 1,513 were in favour, while just three votes were against.Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel posted on X after Wednesday's victory that "it wasn't just another match" alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentine soldiers."The Falklands are Argentine," Villarruel posted. "They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts."Argentina players also sang chants which referenced the Falklands and Argentina greats Maradona and Lionel Messi following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16.A brief but bitter war arose between Britain and Argentina over the territory in 1982.A British military task force ejected Argentine forces, who had landed on the Falklands to stake a territorial claim.The 74-day conflict led to the deaths of 255 British military personnel, three islanders and 649 Argentine soldiers.Argentina face action over Falklands bannerSportPublished1 day agoUK says Falkland Islands 'definitely ours' after Argentina banner

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Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has revealed he received police protection amid threats during the Spygate scandal.Saints were banished from the Championship play-off final in May when they admitted to spying on three clubs during the season after they were caught observing a Middlesbrough training session ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final.The EFL charged Saints after it was later found they had also observed sessions involving Oxford and Ipswich.Southampton will also start the upcoming season on minus-four points as part of the punishment.In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News' Mark McAdam, Saints head coach Eckert discusses the impact of the Spygate scandal, the ongoing FA investigation and his belief that he retains the support of his players."It's been an emotional summer. I can't lie, obviously, when the news broke towards the back end of last season, it's tough. It's not easy in that very moment. It's not easy to look into the eyes of the players. They're just so disappointed, and so many emotions coming out."You get so many threats at one point. You have police protection at one point; you can't drive a car. It's tough to deal with that for the very moment."When things calmed down with time, and I went back home, different challenges at home, you have a moment to reflect. I think that over the months there's also been a lot of positives that we can take into next season. After a couple of weeks, that excitement comes back in to go again and show what we are about. That's been the feeling since coming back into the training ground. We are in the second week of pre-season now. Players have come back in very good shape, with a smile on their face and ready to go again.""You can imagine how it is towards the end of the season when emotions run high. Normally I try to stay off social and not read too much, but there's always a couple of things that come through."It's been a big wave, a very big wave publicly towards the end. We were around for a couple of days longer to sort some of the things that needed to be sorted and to have a first look ahead. It's been some tough days.""I brought my family back home to Germany, so they were out of the country in that moment. But yes, of course, when you have a direct line to the police, because they tell you that they don't know what's going to happen to you at home, and you always have someone that you can reach in case something happens."You receive messages, some of support. There were also some very nice messages in the last days, but also a couple that were not so nice. Yes, some challenging days.""I went to London two weeks ago, and then there was an invitation for an interview. I think it's been very professional. It took quite a few hours to just go through everything that has happened, and now we're waiting for a response.""I think that the process has started; now we wait for a response. I think on our daily work it doesn't influence us so much; because once you're out on the pitch, you're out on the pitch, and then there's work to do. It's nice to be back on the grass, but obviously it's a question that needs to be answered.""I wish there was a clear timeline, but I think they'll come back to us shortly and then we'll know how things move on.""Yes, and it's been exciting. It's been exciting to come back in last week. I think it's not just Daniel [Peretz, who joined permanently from Bayern Munich], I think there's a couple of players that have made a statement."And it was an easy decision on the back of the performance of Daniel, Cyle [Larin - joined permanently from Mallorca] and also James [Bree - new three-year deal] to take a chapter elsewhere. And I think it just shows that they are committed to the football club, to the project, to what we work for and what we go for in the next season."I think the statement couldn't have been bigger on the back of how our season ended.""I think that will be part of the story for next season. Obviously away games are always challenging; I think they'll be even more challenging next year. So, I think we need to be very united with the inside, the core of the football club, obviously including the supporters, and then represent the shirt and represent our colours in the best way.""It's been tough because we've built up something I think very special over many months, and I've said that in a message to our supporters, that I take responsibility for how the season has finished."At the same time, I've never had the intention of breaking a rule. I've come into this football club in November, and next week I'll be joining the EFL for a briefing. I haven't had that in the last season, but I've used the summer to talk to some senior football [people] in English football, to many managers."I've gone through all 131 rules in the appendices of the EFL regulations, so obviously going into a season there are many decisions to make, always. But I'm never going to make a decision based on a rule that I don't know at that very point."There's a lot of reflection over the summer, and I think in order to move forward, to show humility in the way we approach the next season, and then connect to all of the positive things and the excitement that we've had over many games."I have reflected on many things, and I've said this throughout the hearing as well: I've never had the intention to bring anything into disrepute. I've taken the time over the summer not just to know all of the rules, not just of the EFL but also of the FA, but more to understand where they come from and to understand the culture behind that."That is definitely something that is not going to happen again in the next season, that I take any decisions on rules that I don't know about at that very point or a culture that I haven't dived in deep enough to understand where that rule comes from."