Harry Kane believes England showed the same defensive mistakes against France as in their World Cup semi-final with Argentina, but thinks that the UEFA Nations League can help head coach Thomas Tuchel regain support from fans.
Supporters have become split on Tuchel after the Three Lions were beaten by Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta, Georgia.
The German had been hired with the objective of winning the 2026 World Cup, but has been criticised for the team’s defensive approach after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead in the 55th minute. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez’s goals were enough to send the holders into a second consecutive final.
Saturday saw England recover from what assistant head coach Anthony Barry described as “broken hearts” to beat France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place play-off in Miami, Florida, to record their best finish at a men’s World Cup since 1966.
England face Spain, Czechia and Croatia home and away in their Nations League group this autumn after returning to the top tier under interim boss Lee Carsley in 2024.
“When you take the job of England manager, he knows that if it doesn’t go the way we want it then he’s going to take some stick,” Kane said.
“That is part and parcel of the job. I know there are a lot of questions after the other night. We have to process it as players. I’m sure the manager will.
“It’s his first major tournament. He’ll learn a lot from the players, the situations, the pressures, the travel.
“The group is incredible, the best England group I’ve been a part of in terms of togetherness.”
The England captain added: “We have all been England fans when we wished we’d done this or that and it didn’t quite happen. That will die down, naturally. Before we know it, we’ll, be back with our clubs and the focus shifts to Champions League or the Nations League.
“Fans are going to be angry and we understand it.”
The Bayern Munich striker listed the qualities that Tuchel had brought to the dressing room.
“It’s our highest finish in 60 years,” Kane continued.
“The enthusiasm he has, the emotion he brings, the tactical experience he has, it doesn’t mean you’re going to get it right every time. We want to get it right on the biggest occasions and he expects that from himself as well. He’s a fantastic coach.
“The last 30 minutes of Argentina is not the team we want to be. We spent a lot of time over the last two years talking about that situation, to attack those moments. The bottom line is we lost anyway.”
Of England’s third-place play-off vicfory, he said: “The game is impossible to judge because it’s a complete opposite to what that would have been if it was a final. It shows the quality we have. To score six against anyone, you have to play a certain way and play well.
“We still showed signs of what we showed the other night unfortunately, when they started to come back into the game. We couldn’t quite get the pressure on the ball and keep the ball. There is stuff we need to improve on.
“We know over the next two years until we’re facing that situation again there is always going to be a question mark. It’s something we have to take and use as motivation.”
Kane also admitted defeat to Argentina ranked as the most difficult tournament exit in his international career. He previously played at the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, as well as the European Championships in 2016 and 2021.
