England head coach Thomas Tuchel admitted his side can play better despite securing a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2-1 comeback victory over Norway, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Three Lions recovered from a goal down to reach the final four after extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice in the quarter-final clash.
While Tuchel praised England’s mentality and ability to overcome difficult moments, he insisted there is still more to come from his team.
“I was very impressed with the effort the players put in, their team spirit, their belief, and the way they overcame adversity and found a way to win,” Tuchel said.
“Those qualities were at the highest level, but I’m also a football coach, and I believe we can play better. Overall, I don’t think it was a high-level game. We’ve played better matches in this tournament, but full credit to the team, we found a way to win.”
Tuchel hailed Bellingham’s performance after the Real Madrid midfielder scored twice to send England into the semi-finals.
“World-class. It was a world-class performance from a world-class player, delivering in the biggest and most crucial moments. Absolute top class,” he said.
The German coach also praised England’s resilience after another comeback victory in the knockout stages, highlighting the team’s refusal to give up.
“The players simply refuse to give in. They refuse to accept defeat. They overcome setbacks. There were a lot of momentum swings in this match, but they kept believing.”
The England boss also praised the players and backroom staff after reaching the semi-finals, describing their mentality throughout the tournament as outstanding.
“When you reach a World Cup semi-final after extra time, the celebration belongs to the players and the entire backroom staff. These are moments to fully enjoy.”
Tuchel also explained his comments about England being “lucky”, saying he was referring to key moments rather than suggesting they did not deserve the victory.
“When I said we were lucky, I meant we were fortunate in decisive moments. In tournament football, you need a bit of luck in key moments.”
