Thomas Tuchel has called on England to end the World Cup on a high in an emotional address to his players after their agonising 2-1 semi-final defeat by Argentina – a loss that has been overshadowed by a Falkland Islands banner row and the US government's refusal to back UK calls for sanctions.
The England squad returned to their base in Kansas City following Wednesday's semi-final loss to undertake two final training sessions before Saturday's bronze-medal match against France. Sources told BBC Sport that Tuchel, in a speech to his squad, collectively encouraged his players to put their disappointment behind them and finish the tournament on a high. If England beat France in Miami to claim third place, it would be their best men's World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
“Tuchel calls for strong finish after World Cup semi-final defeat and Falklands row.”
Tuchel is also understood to have stressed how proud he was of their efforts in North America as the Three Lions reached only a fourth World Cup semi-final in their history. The relationship between the 52-year-old German and his players has become an emerging narrative following Argentina's 2-1 victory, sealed by two late goals from Lionel Messi assists. BBC Sport reported on Thursday how a number of key players had been left disappointed at how the team were instructed to finish the game having taken the lead through Anthony Gordon. Tuchel reverted to a back five and made defensive substitutions, but he has since refuted the idea the defensive retreat was a result of his directions. He said it was never the plan to drop deeper and "it's maybe not in our DNA... to control the game and ball".
Jude Bellingham, who scored a brilliant equaliser and an extra-time winner to sink Norway in the quarter-final, has been England's standout performer. Bellingham moved on to six goals, in contention for the Golden Boot, and is firmly in the frame for player of the tournament, according to the Guardian. His poacher's finish after a spill from Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Håskjold Nyland sent England into the semi-finals.
Off the pitch, the aftermath of the semi-final has been dominated by a political storm. Argentina players celebrated their win by holding up a banner that translated to "The Falklands are Argentine". FIFA has confirmed it is "assessing the match reports" before deciding on any disciplinary action. The UK Government called for an investigation, with a spokesperson saying: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are." Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey wrote an open letter to FIFA calling for the players holding the flag to be suspended for Sunday's final against Spain. However, the White House has taken a different stance. According to Sky News, officials from President Donald Trump's team have dismissed calls from the UK government to take action. Trump's World Cup chief Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, has firmly maintained that Argentina were simply exercising their right to freedom of expression, citing the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
FIFA has previous form for sanctioning Argentina over political declarations relating to the Falklands. In 2014, they imposed a £20,000 fine on the nation's football association after a comparable banner was displayed ahead of a friendly against Slovenia. Whether this time the punishment will be more severe – or whether the US-hosted tournament will see any ban – remains to be seen. For now, England must refocus on France and the chance to leave North America with bronze.
