England striker Harry Kane has weighed in on Thomas Tuchel criticizing the team and Jude Bellingham 's reaction to it after their QF win over Norway.
England are in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for the second time in three editions, as they prepare to face reigning champions Argentina.
However, their 2-1 a.e.t win over Norway has been overshadowed by manager Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham, with star striker Kane now sharing his thoughts.
Kane spoke to the BBC before England's semi-final clash against Argentina, where he was directly asked about Tuchel's harsh reaction to a hard-fought win in hot conditions.
"I think we understand it. I think players on the pitch understand more than anyone when they're playing well or not; it's a part and parcel of football. We understand what the boss meant."
Kane then defended Bellingham for his comments, painting the situation as an attempt to create division in a cohesive group focused on winning the World Cup.
"When you're playing a game like that, and you get asked a question like that minutes after the final whistle when he doesn't know what the manager has really said, it's like, what do you want Jude to say? It's easy to try and create this division… But it's the complete opposite."
Tuchel spoke with the media immediately after the Norway win and seemed displeased that the team had to come back and play extra time to secure this win.
"We made life very difficult for ourselves. The result is fantastic, but I'm not happy with the performance."
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Bellingham was asked about the quote minutes after the game, and the interview happened, giving a curt response.
"Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against Haaland , Ødegaard, Nusa and Sørloth… That's not an easy team to play against."
Given how important Tuchel has been in bringing this squad together and maximizing what they can get out of the players tactically, this is a situation that can be remedied easily.
With Kane's response giving props to both player and manager, it seems the squad will be ultra-focused heading into the semis in another installment of the iconic England vs. Argentina rivalry.
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