England captain Harry Kane dismissed any drama surrounding coach Thomas Tuchel’s comments after teammate Jude Bellingham took issue with the manager’s critique of England’s “sloppy” 2-1 win over Norway.
Kane snuffed out the noise.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s blockbuster World Cup semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta, Kane blasted reports of unrest inside England’s camp, accusing the media of trying to tear the Three Lions apart.
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“When you are playing a game like that and to be asked a question five minutes after the final whistle, and he didn’t really know what had been said, what do you want Jude to say?” Kane responded (via BBC Sport).
England’s grueling 2-1 extra-time quarterfinal win over Norway came in punishing Miami heat on Saturday.
Bellingham was the hero, scoring England’s two goals, including the dramatic 93rd-minute winner.
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Moments after the final whistle, Tuchel delivered a brutally negative assessment to TV cameras.
“The result is fantastic. We’re in the last four… but not happy with the performance, in every sense,” Tuchel complained on the pitch.
“Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough… We were lucky today.”
Bellingham, the 23-year-old phenom, barked back.
“Yeah, well, whatever,” he said. “Maybe he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Odegaard … That’s not an easy team to play against.”
The exchange was tabloid gold, but Kane stood firmly by his teammate, accusing the media of trying to manufacture a divide. “I think it’s easy to try and create this division,” Kane explained. “It seems like an English mentality, an English thing to do at these major tournaments, but it’s the complete opposite.”
Rather than turning on Tuchel for the public critique, Kane praised the manager’s intensity.
“He wears his heart on his sleeve and people appreciate that,” Kane noted. “When he talks, it is never scripted. That is what makes him who he is. When it just comes naturally, you believe in that.”
“The group is where we are because of our complete togetherness, not just the players, the coach and the staff,” Kane added. “Things sometimes get made out to be more than they are.”
England will now look to silence the noise on the pitch when it faces Argentina for a spot in the World Cup final.
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