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Senior football correspondent in AtlantaPublished16 minutes ago87 CommentsEngland's defensive retreat in their agonising World Cup semi-final 2-1 loss to Argentina on Wednesday has become the big talking point – and that topic is also being hotly debated among members of Thomas Tuchel's squad.A number of sources have indicated to BBC Sport that a clutch of key players were left disappointed at how the team approached the final stages of the game.Leading 1-0 with 35 minutes left to play, England appeared to be on course for their first men's World Cup final since 1966.But the momentum shift was startling. While it was natural for Argentina to start chasing the game, England have been criticised for seeming to hand their opponents the initiative.England manager Tuchel set his team up with a back-five to defend their lead - only to see it being overturned in the closing stages amid wave after wave of Argentina pressure.BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney said the defeat "started from the manager and the decisions he made".How coach-on-pitch Messi undid England's tactics on the flyBBC Sport is aware of at least three senior players who have complained privately about the team's approach during the closing stages.There is an acknowledgement that ceding ground on the pitch when defending a lead is a natural instinct for players.But, equally, there is believed to be a consensus among certain players that Tuchel's tactical switches and substitutions exacerbated their defensive retreat.Certain players believe the team should have had greater licence to press the ball during the closing stages in an effort to at least try and push Argentina away from their goal – even just to provide some respite for the defenders.But instead, while some players recognised it as the team simply resorting to clearing their lines and regrouping their shape in defence – it was a tactic some didn't agree with.There is certainly a sense from some players that they could have been bolder and braver in those closing stages – not necessarily to go hell for leather in search for a second but to strike a balance between withstanding the Argentine pressure but also giving their opponents something to worry about in attack.One source said: "They went too deep too early."Of course, players not necessarily agreeing with their manager's approach is not uncommon.Professional footballers are used to carrying out instructions, even if they don't agree with the direction.But some of the consternation from players towards how England were instructed to finish the game certainly paints an interesting picture heading into the rest of Tuchel's reign.Tuchel was appointed with the belief that he was the man to finally get England over the line.Gareth Southgate had reached one World Cup semi-final and two European Championship finals during his reign – but Tuchel's tactical acumen was viewed as what was needed to turn England from nearly men to winners.But the notion from some players that Tuchel got it wrong in Atlanta will pose an intriguing player-manager dynamic heading into the European Championship qualifying campaign.While Tuchel continues to have the full backing of Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham, the criticism the German has faced since the defeat to Argentina won't have failed to register.As always the FA will review England's performance at the tournament once they return home after Saturday's bronze medal match against France.While England's run to the semi-final is still viewed as an achievement by those at the FA, it is clear there is much to unpack with regards to the circumstances behind their loss to Argentina.When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC SportHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV
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The defending world champions produced a dramatic late comeback in Atlanta, scoring twice to defeat Thomas Tuchel's side 2-1 and book a showdown with Spain in Sunday's final.After the final whistle, Argentina players held up a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falklands are Argentine".The Falklands, a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina.In a statement, a Fifa spokesperson said: "As is standard procedure, Fifa's independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the Fifa Disciplinary Code."Argentina's football association were fined £20,000 by Fifa in 2014 for holding a banner with the same message before a friendly against Slovenia.At the time, world football's governing body said the gesture had breached rules on political action and team misconduct.Downing Street has supported calls for Fifa to investigate, 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."Argentina's President Javier Milei called the players' action "understandable" and "valid", according to media reports.But he also made clear, in comments made to Radio El Observador, that "the things that happen on the pitch are not part of diplomacy".Argentina, ruled at the time by a military junta led by General Leopoldo Galtieri, invaded the islands, situated 300 miles off Argentina's east coast, in 1982.The conflict, which lasted for 74 days between April to June 1982, led to the deaths of 649 Argentine and 255 British servicemen. Three people from the islands also died.UK says Falkland Islands 'definitely ours' after Argentina bannerHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV
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No successful tackles after the 63rd minute and failure to break up play through fouls also played their part in World Cup semi-final defeatThere will be coaching courses of the future that use footage of England’s performance against Argentina to illustrate how not to defend a one-goal lead. If that sounds harsh, the data from the match justifies that stance.Many ugly statistics emerged once the postmortem began. The most damning came from OptaJoe, who noted England had 12% possession in the 30 minutes between Anthony Gordon’s goal and Argentina’s equaliser. “That is the lowest by a team to be winning for at least 10 minutes in a World Cup match in the last 60 years,” they added.It gets worse if we break this period down. Compared with what was to come, Thomas Tuchel’s side did relatively well before the hydration break. A fine Harry Kane pass helped set up a shot in the 66th minute, before the captain immediately had an effort when England regained possession in the final third. Although Emiliano Martínez’s goal was not seriously threatened, the sequence suggested Argentina could be occupied in their own half.That threat disappeared once Ezri Konsa replaced Gordon as England adopted a 5-4-1 formation. The change left them with no real pace on the break. As huge a call as it would have been to substitute Kane, he provided little benefit once the team tried to see out the match with a low block.Here’s something for Tuchel to consider as he awaits the third-place playoff rather than the final this weekend. England’s goal difference across the tournament was +6 from 6.3 matches, or +0.82 per 90 minutes played. It’s interesting how it fluctuated with different players on the pitch, as wary as we must be of reading too much into small samples for individuals in team sports. The goal difference was +2.01 per 90 when Bukayo Saka was playing, +1.16 for Reece James and +1.14 for Gordon.Pace has helped them and it might have here, yet the Arsenal winger remained on the bench. Having a fast player to target up front would have offered an escape route from pressure.About 19 minutes separated Konsa coming on and the winning goal. England attempted 11 passes in that period.Eleven. This isn’t Spinal Tap, it’s a World Cup semi-final. Only four of their passes in this spell were completed: two from the post-hydration break restart as Jordan Pickford gave the ball to John Stones before immediately receiving it back, then another in stoppage time when Kane found Jude Bellingham only for him to surrender possession. The other successful pass? Bellingham’s kick-off after Enzo Fernández’s equaliser.That sequence summed up how England’s hopes dissolved. Bellingham passed back to Pickford, who sent the ball long towards Kane to no avail. The goalkeeper was responsible for five of England’s seven unsuccessful passes between Konsa’s introduction and them going 2-1 down, with three of his efforts going out of play.A lack of game management was another problem. Argentina frequently broke up play through fouls (not all of which were awarded) until they went behind. England conceded one free-kick between Gordon’s goal and the 97th minute and made their final successful tackle of the contest in the 63rd.To cap it all, England conceded the winner to a header from 174cm tall Lautaro Martínez after bringing on 201cm Dan Burn to combat Argentina’s aerial threat. Burn’s only touches occurred in the final third after England went behind. In their own penalty area he was no use, more an incredibly large ornament.No matter which numbers you use to analyse the period after England went ahead, the sums don’t add up.
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23 CommentsNottingham Forest are set to make an offer of £45m for Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall.Spurs rejected Forest's first bid of £38m for the 20-year-old last week.BBC Sport understands the Sweden international wants the move to the City Ground, having played limited minutes at the end of last season under Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi, often not in his preferred number six position.When asked about the prospect of Bergvall joining the club during his first press conference as the new Forest boss on Thursday, Oliver Glasner did not directly refer to the midfielder but said: "I have one strength and weakness, it's impatience. Sometimes it's a strength, sometimes it's a weakness."Of course, I would have hoped they already trained with us on the other side."It's impossible because the players we're now talking to they play at the World Cup so are still on vacation. I'm pretty convinced we will have a few players joining us in Portugal [on a training camp]."Bergvall joined Spurs in 2024 from Swedish club Djurgarden and was named the club's player of the year after his first Premier League season, at the end of which Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a trophy with Europa League victory.In April 2025, he signed a new contract until 2031.He played 33 games for the club last season but missed two months after undergoing ankle surgery.Bergvall has 14 caps for Sweden and played at the World Cup, where his side were beaten in the last 32 by France.Forest are believed to be looking for another midfielder in addition to Bergvall after Elliot Anderson's record-breaking move to Manchester City.But there will not be another 13-player £180m spree like last summer with Forest looking to add quality over quantity.A goalkeeper is needed to support Matz Sels and John Victor, while a striker is also wanted to aid Chris Wood, who turns 35 in December, and Igor Jesus.'Nobody wants to get divorced' - Glasner on Forest challenge
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Greece international replacement for Leandro TrossardArsenal seek defensive cover after William Saliba injuryArsenal have agreed a deal worth up to €40m (£34m) with Club Brugge to sign Christos Tzolis as a replacement for Leandro Trossard and will step up their attempts to sign defensive cover due to concerns that William Saliba could miss the start of the new season due to his ongoing back issues.An official bid for Tzolis, a Greece international who scored 22 goals last season and was previously targeted by Crystal Palace, has yet to be submitted but it is understood that Arsenal have verbally agreed to pay the Belgian club’s asking price. The 24-year-old is expected to have his medical in the coming days and sign a long-term contract. The former Norwich forward, who usually plays on the left flank, will be a direct replacement for Trossard after his departure for Besiktas was confirmed this week for €18m (£15.3m).Arsenal are still planning to bring in more attacking reinforcements this summer and retain an interest in Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez, although he is also wanted by Real Madrid and Barcelona. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola are other potential targets.Villa are thought to want more than £100m for Rogers, with Arsenal having also expressed an interest in his England teammate Ezri Konsa. The centre-back could provide cover for Saliba after the France defender had to be taken off in the World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain on Tuesday after breaking down at the start of the second half.The 25-year-old said during the tournament that he has been “gritting his teeth” and playing through the pain of a back injury for some time and there were reports in France that he will require back surgery. It is understood that Arsenal intend to make their own assessment before deciding whether that is necessary.The Premier League champions also have major concerns over Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka’s fitness and workload after both admitted they have been playing through pain to be at the World Cup. They are expected to be given extended rests after Saturday’s third-place playoff against France.
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Celtic's lack of summer transfer activity is because they are struggling to compete with English Championship clubs and deal with agents, according to the club's chief executive Michael Nicholson.The defending Scottish Premiership champions have only made one signing since the transfer window opened - Colombian forward Camilo Duran.Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has also extended his stay at the club after his short-term deal last season.Former manager Brendan Rodgers spoke extensively about his frustration over a lack of additions, and supporters expressed their frustration at a perceived lack of spending throughout last season.At the annual general meeting of the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs in Cork on 4 July, chairman Brian Wilson, manager Martin O'Neill and Nicholson took part in a question and answer session with supporters.Watt banned over comments made after Celtic gameThe board trio were asked why the club were "so slow" to recruit players, in response to which the minutes state Nicholson "advised of the difficulty in dealing with agents, competing with the Premier League and even the Championship".He added the club are actively trying to sign out-of-contract players.O'Neill reportedly spoke of a focus on younger players, whom he said have "better drive, ambition and are more suited to Celtic because they can be developed and aren't swayed as much by wages".The minutes also assert that Nicholson said Celtic have recently finalised a long-term strategy - "to be the best club in Scotland, to be financially sound, and to compete in Europe".Having drawn 1-1 with Shelbourne and lost 4-1 against Sporting in their pre-season friendlies to date, Celtic face Middlesbrough and AC Milan before their first competitive outing against Dundee in the Premiership on 3 August.Visit our Celtic page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views
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Infantino has said US president will hand over trophySpain v Argentina final is set for Sunday in New JerseyDonald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.“We look forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president looks forward to attending,” Leavitt said. “This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”“Yes, hopefully we’ll present the trophy together in the final,” Infantino said. “That’s always been the plan, and that’s how it’s always been done in the past – the president of the country where the final is held presents the trophy together with the Fifa president.”At the 2022 World Cup final, the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, joined Infantino to award the trophy to Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates. Vladimir Putin awarded it to Kylian Mbappé and France after their win at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.Trump was front and center for the final of last summer’s Club World Cup at the same stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, presenting the trophy to champions Chelsea and drawing loud boos from the crowd.While Trump has not yet attended a game at this World Cup, he has nevertheless played a significant role. He has a close relationship with Infantino, and called the Fifa president to lobby for a review of USA star Folarin Balogun’s controversial red-card suspension before their last-16 match. Fifa did reverse Balogun’s ban, but the political circus cast a pall over the US team, who exited a promising World Cup with a flat loss to Belgium.Trump has made several appearances at sporting events since his reelection. Last year, he attended the Super Bowl, tennis’s US Open, the Daytona 500 and golf’s Ryder Cup. This year, he has attended several golf events, college football’s national championship game and Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he was met with boos from the New York Knicks home crowd.Leavitt told reporters that she did not know which team Trump was supporting in the final.“I’m sure he’ll have a fun answer for you,” she told reporters.Leavitt also said Trump will attend a Fifa reception at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday. Soccer’s governing body opened an office in the building last year.
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Too pragmatic, poor use of substitutes, sitting back too deep and when faced with their first real big opponent of the tournament, a crushing defeat.All well-known - if at times perhaps unfair - criticisms of Sir Gareth Southgate's England teams.But this was under the management of Thomas Tuchel, the German brought in to signal a change of approach for England - one that was supposed to bring a first World Cup in 60 years.So with comparisons being drawn between Tuchel and his predecessor, what has really changed for England?In March 2025, Tuchel was asked about England's Euro 2024 campaign under Southgate.Tuchel felt that England did not have "a clear playing style". When asked what was missing, he reeled off a long list: "The identity, the clarity, the rhythms, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of players, the expression of players, the hunger."[England] were more afraid to drop out of the tournament, in my observation, than having the excitement and hunger to win it."Fast forward 16 months and Tuchel's analysis of his predecessor's side could indeed be applied to his team's 2-1 loss to Argentina.It's been no secret what Tuchel has been working towards with England.The German has taken a system-first approach to international management. His World Cup squad left out a wealth of technical talent including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold.Before raw quality or star names are considered, Tuchel had in mind the type of team he wanted to see, leaning on specific tactics and the aforementioned "repetition of patterns".And so the players he selected were the ones that he felt could best carry out the roles he wanted in his England system.This is why before the World Cup began, debates were had about whether Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers would play as the number 10, or whether Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford would play on the left wing.Tuchel selected similar profiles to maintain the squad's style, banking on nothing but plan A working – something which ultimately did not happen.By the end of the tournament, partly driven by injuries, we saw Rogers and Bellingham share the pitch – one on the right wing.The "identity" of his side was supposed to come in the form of a few key principles.Tuchel and his assistant coach, Anthony Barry, have spoken about borrowing ideas from the current version of the Premier League.Building up short, enticing pressure, playing quickly across the middle of the pitch – whether through powerful carrying or long balls – to find runners in attack against fewer defenders were all ideas England were seen trying to do every game, to varying levels of success.The second half of the 4-2 win against Croatia, in their opening match, was perhaps the closest example of what Tuchel's ideal version of England was meant to be.The other part of Tuchel's system that was continually emphasised was use of wide triangles to create chances, with the 52-year-old reluctant to see his side build through the centre.Rotations and runs off the ball between the full-back, central midfielder and winger before arriving at the byline was supposed to be the main method of chance creation for Tuchel's England, but as much as they tried to make it click, it again did not come to fruition.Tuchel's top-down approach differed greatly from Southgate's bottom-up approach, which partly explains Tuchel feeling Southgate's side lacked identity, clarity, rhythm or repeated patterns.Southgate likely did not rely on a predetermined attacking strategy so it is fair to say his attack was less clear or repetitive than Tuchel's - but this was because he took a player-first approach.He aimed to get the best talent in the country in one functioning and balanced starting 11. This was, at times, to his detriment – think Alexander-Arnold's struggles playing in midfield.Southgate was still able to go far in tournaments because ultimately he looked to give England's impressive attackers – such as Bellingham, Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer – the licence to play in zones that suited them.When paired with a stronger defensive foundation, his man-management, and game-breaking set-piece threat, England usually had the edge over teams with less talent in their ranks.What jumps out is that although both managers have started from opposite tactical viewpoints, there are clear similarities in both their tournament runs – much to Tuchel's frustration.After England's victory against Norway, Tuchel said: "The result is fantastic but I'm not happy with the performance," before adding, "[we were] sloppy, tactical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough."These all speak to fact that the principles he wanted to see in his side were not on show.Both goals against Norway came from moments of individual brilliance against disorganised defences.A goal-kick that fell short and landed at Elliot Anderson's feet gave England possession against a Norway side not in their rigid 4-5-1 shape and through direct running and quick passing, Bellingham was then able to score.The winner came from the second phase of a corner, before Rogers had a long shot parried into Bellingham's path.Those goals feel more Southgate than Tuchel – player-led, intuitive and slightly chaotic rather than repetitive, drilled and choreographed.Southgate was happy to use a back five from the start of games if it allowed England to match opponents who lined up with five attacking players.There is a feeling that this does, however, communicate to both the players and fans a level of inferiority.Tuchel – with his system-first approach – hadn't shown any signs of doing that from the start of games but it's interesting that when under pressure, he brought on an extra defender to match up numerically with Argentina's forwards too.Argentina's substitutions by comparison were risky, brave and front-footed.Tuchel suggested afterwards that dropping into a low defence immediately after scoring was not instructed but rather a reaction from his players. However, his substitutions looked to control damage rather than wrestle back control.Watching Southgate's big-game losses back, there wasn't an obvious instruction to play defensively. Instead England struggled to build out from the back and defend their lead through possession football.And without players able to get on the ball and keep it, England are left defending while their opponents launch wave after wave of attack.This was also the case for Tuchel's England against Argentina, who had just 12% possession between Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute opening goal and Enzo Fernandez's 85th-minute equaliser.Irrespective of how good England can look or what approach they take, this appears to be an ongoing issue.If England are to overcome their weakness and start winning those big games, something has to change.And perhaps a combination of Southgate's technical approach and Tuchel's tactical methods may be a step in the right direction.How coach-on-pitch Messi undid England's tactics on the flyArgentina face action over Falklands banner
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Manager under fire for manner of 2-1 defeat by Argentina‘There is enough to improve and I am happy to do that’Thomas Tuchel says he is “100%” committed to leading England at Euro 2028 and finding the “extra level” for glory that eluded his team at the World Cup.The manager is under fire for the manner of Wednesday’s 2-1 semi-final defeat in Atlanta. His switch to a back five for the final quarter at 1-0 up did not work, Argentina scoring two late goals to advance into Sunday’s final against Spain.Tuchel maintains the system was not the problem, rather it was the passivity of the players after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute. He lamented England’s inability to get on the ball and control the game, suggesting it was not in their DNA to do so. The Football Association hired him to solve this issue, among others, and the pain of familiar failings continues to pound.But Tuchel, who signed a contract extension in February to carry him through the Euro 2028 campaign, remains determined and retains the FA’s backing. Asked whether he wanted to take the team forward in the next two years, he replied: “Yes, 100%. There is still enough to improve and I am more than happy to do that. I’ve loved every day of the World Cup.“I said after the quarter-final win against Norway that I see a disconnect from what I see in training on a football level and within the games. We can impose ourselves more on the ball. We can show what good football players we are. That is still in us as I see it in training and in every camp. And here also at the World Cup. I still feel there is an extra level that we need to conquer. We need to step up to the next level to get the big prize.”At the FA, there is a measure of satisfaction at how the team made it to the semi-finals, and realism, too. When the draw was made, it was considered to be tougher than at previous tournaments under Sir Gareth Southgate, starting with a group that contained Croatia and Ghana.The FA acknowledged the peril of a potential run from the last 16 to the final that took in Mexico in the altitude of Mexico City, Brazil, Argentina and Spain or France. In the event, it was Norway not Brazil in the quarter-final.The governing body was also acutely conscious of the situational and logistical challenges – especially the heat and travel. When England arrived in Atlanta for the Argentina game, it was after their 13th flight since the beginning of the tournament. All this after a gruelling Premier League season for most of the squad. There is the hope that a European Championship – which England will co-host – can be more straightforward.The FA’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham, was quick to show his appreciation after the full-time whistle against Argentina. “It is heartbreaking to be so close,” he said. “The players and Thomas gave it everything and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament. I would like to thank them all.”Tuchel was damned by the optics of his retreat into the back five when he sacrificed the pacy outlet of Gordon for the extra centre-half in Ezri Konsa on 72 minutes. But he argued that the rot had set in before then – specifically after Gordon’s goal – when the team were in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation.One of the turning points came in the 64th minute when the Argentina manager, Lionel Scaloni, replaced the defensive midfielder Leandro Paredes with the left winger Nico González and moved to 4-2-4. Scaloni went all-out in the 81st minute as England still led, withdrawing the left-back, Nico Tagliafico, and introducing the striker Lautaro Martínez. It paid off, Martínez scoring the stoppage-time winner. England had only 12% of the possession between the Gordon and Martínez goals.“We got too passive within our structure,” Tuchel said. “I tried to help … for us to actually be more active in a back five, to be quicker out to their wingers. We encouraged everyone to step out, to be more active but we just struggled. We couldn’t find any duels any more, which was why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan but it happened. We couldn’t stop the runners from the second line, the midfielders through our gaps. And their deliveries were on the highest level.“We needed to get back on the ball otherwise you cannot break the pressure and you cannot get the momentum back. We just couldn’t cope with the momentum swing. Ball possession plays a crucial role. It’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or the Argentinian or Brazilian DNA – to take the ball and control the game.“It’s also not a problem to defend deep. You can stay active. But we struggled. We struggled physically, as well. Through the whole tournament … playing in the heat, playing in the altitude [against Mexico] and with a man down [after Jarell Quansah’s red card]. It cost us a lot in the end. We gave everything but it was not enough.“My feeling is that no structure in the world could have helped us because we were too passive. We were not physical enough, we didn’t stop runs arriving in our box and the deliveries were then too good.”
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There was a sense of deja vu as Argentina came from behind to win an intense semi-final. But the players also gave the nation some memorable highsHistorically, English football-supporting culture has had a well-known darker side. But in recent decades, as the England men’s team’s trophy drought has continued, some of its unofficial anthems have acquired an endearingly melancholy quality. “It was nearly complete, it was nearly so sweet”, as the Three Lions song had it in the 1990s, when England exited a World Cup and a European Championship at the semi-final stage.This summer, Oasis’s Wonderwall has been the soundtrack as Harry Kane and co progressed to Wednesday’s climactic semi-final showdown with Argentina. This is a song which, very wisely in an England context, puts a heavy emphasis on the idea of “maybe”. In the end it turned out to be maybe not.A watching audience of more than 24 million began to believe as England scored first to put themselves on the brink of a first World Cup final since 1966. But a familiar sense of resignation then took over, as the team wilted under Argentinian pressure and lost to a stoppage-time winner. The Portuguese sometimes define their national sensibility using the word saudade, conveying a mixture of nostalgia and longing. England’s footballers and followers could do with their own equivalent.The inquest, thankfully, is so far proving less vicious than the one which led to the disgraceful vilification of David Beckham, after his red card was followed by defeat against Argentina in 1998. But England’s German coach, Thomas Tuchel, is coming under fire after presiding over his side’s retreat into a defensive shell in the latter stages of the game. Nervous England teams lost in similar fashion to Croatia in the 2018 semi-final, and to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Tuchel was supposed to be the foreign change agent, but the inability to take control from a winning position was all too familiar. Football, as we know, is a fickle game. It was only last week that he was being talked up on Mumsnet.As the air slightly goes out of a heatwave-heavy summer, the rest of the world’s attention will shift to a Spain-Argentina final – surely to be the 39-year-old Lionel Messi’s last appearance on football’s greatest stage. The 2026 men’s World Cup has suffered from hyper-commercialisation, visa injustices and an assault on the tournament’s sporting integrity by Donald Trump, facilitated by the egregious Fifa president, Gianni Infantino. But the extraordinary longevity of Messi’s genius, which turned the game against England, has offered a spectacle to delight anyone interested in sport. The provocative and reprehensible brandishing of a Falklands-related banner by his teammates has done him a disservice by generating a row where there should been only acclamation.Tuchel and his deflated players will depart the US after a third-place match against a similarly disappointed France team. Some will leave having enhanced their reputation, others will have regrets. But collectively they confirmed England’s status in the top rank of footballing nations – a position not to be taken for granted after periods of spectacular underachievement – and gave the nation some memorable highs.The intense, passionate victory over Mexico in a cacophonous, stormy Azteca stadium will take its place among the greatest of England triumphs. For the rest, Wonderwall captures the immediate mood nicely: “Today was gonna be the day, but they’ll never throw it back to you.” There’s always tomorrow, though.
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Austrian met Forest owner over seafood platter in Athens‘He’s one of few people who’s more ambitious than I am’Oliver Glasner said he wants to bring back the “sweet honey” of European football to Nottingham Forest and suggested the club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, may be one of few people more ambitious than him. Glasner revealed talks with Marinakis over a seafood platter in Athens convinced him to become Forest’s fifth head coach in less than 12 months, the Austrian signing a three-year contract after a fruitful two years at Crystal Palace.Glasner met the Forest squad on Monday, his first day, and said he is enthused by the scope for the club to grow after a season in which they avoided relegation and reached the Europa League semi-finals. Forest are pushing to make the Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall their club-record signing as they seek to replace Elliot Anderson, who is leaving for Manchester City. Glasner is hopeful he will have at least two new signings join them on next week’s Portugal training camp, with the midfielder Xavier Schlager close to joining on a free after leaving RB Leipzig.Forest sacked Vítor Pereira because they felt the opportunity to appoint Glasner, out of work after leaving Selhurst Park, was too good to turn down. Glasner conceded Forest’s hierarchy were “very hard-working” in their efforts to appoint him. The 51-year-old, who won the FA Cup, Conference League and Community Shield at Palace, believes he can also exceed expectations at the City Ground, but underlined success will not happen overnight.“My personal history shows that teams usually, what we are asking them to do – the habits we want them to do – it takes three to six months to see it for the first time,” he said. “I’m no magician … I didn’t find the button that players can press and all of sudden we win the Premier League. Our goal is to come closer and closer to European places. These players felt the sweet honey of playing European football and this year it’s just butter – no honey – on the toast. Hopefully next year it will be sweeter. If I had felt there was no potential any more, I wouldn’t have signed.”Of his discussions with Marinakis in Greece, he said: “When we had talks, I probably found one of the few people who is more ambitious than I am … so I think we will challenge each other with ambition. Every Premier League club, owner, manager and player is ambitious, but that doesn’t automatically mean that you will win silverware. It doesn’t make sense to talk about [winning] silverware after three days. We are not talking about the end product when you don’t know the ingredients. We are now trying to find the ingredients and then hopefully with these ingredients we will get a great meal and then we will be successful.”Glasner’s analogies were not confined to food at his unveiling, at which he spoke to the media for more than an hour. Asked about Forest’s need for stability, he said: “Nobody wants to get divorced … I don’t know how it is here in England but in Austria it [the divorce rate] is 50% … at the wedding, you would say ‘no, not us,’ but it happens. Every club wants the same manager for a decade, the same players for as long as possible, but it’s just not the real world. We want to get stability and consistency because the owner and I are convinced that is the foundation for success. We hope now that this is the starting point.”Glasner said Forest’s rich history as two-time European champions helped entice him, but insisted they must look forward. “I see a lot of potential in this club and a lot of ambition in this club and then I thought: ‘Hey, probably you can do it again.’ But I can’t do it. I’m too weak for this. If I’m alone, I have no chance. But I know if we all stick together and all work in the same direction, then it’s possible – not [necessarily] again to win a trophy, I don’t know – but to succeed, to fulfil expectations, make people happy inside and outside the club. In the end that’s what I’m looking for. After the talks, I had the feeling this is the right place.”He dismissed suggestions joining Forest, who assumed Palace’s place in the Europa League last season after Palace were expelled from the competition by Uefa, could ruin his legacy at his previous club. “What I know is that I’m really pleased and grateful to have been part of a wonderful journey and I think everybody involved would tell you the same,” Glasner said. “There are now [ex-Palace] players at Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham … it is just part of football life.“I gave 100% every single day for Crystal Palace because that is what everybody deserved. We definitely created memories and that is what I’m really proud of. We had a great time together and I’m still in touch with many of my former players; I texted Marc Guéhi on Monday because it was his birthday – and you see how focused he is? … He didn’t even know that I had signed for Forest.”
