Rome, 19 July (LaPresse) – “I hope the players can be proud of this result in time. We’re extremely competitive, so we can hardly allow ourselves to be proud of third place, because 18 months ago we set ourselves the highest possible target. We set ourselves the biggest dream to chase, and we were very, very ambitious in dreaming of reaching the final and winning the World Cup. So it’s very, very painful not to have achieved it.” So said England manager Thomas Tuchel after the victory over France in the third-place play-off. The German manager said he regarded England’s World Cup campaign as a success, despite the collapse in the semi-final. The Three Lions saw a 1-0 lead against Argentina slip away and lost 2-1, with Messi providing two assists in the closing stages. Tuchel has been criticised for his tactical decisions in the defeat, and many are wondering what it will take for England to end their long wait for another trophy. This result, according to Tuchel, is the first step towards closing the gap on teams such as Argentina and France. “This match will certainly help us, even if there is a part of us that will never allow us to fully celebrate the bronze medal,” he explained.
2026 World Cup: Tuchel: “We had set ourselves the biggest dream”
Rome, 19 July (LaPresse) – “I hope the players can be proud of this result in time. We’re extremely competitive, so we can hardly allow ourselves to be proud of third place, because 18 months ago we set ourselves the highest possible target. We set ourselves the biggest dream to chase, and we were very, very ambitious in dreaming of reaching the final and winning the World Cup. So it’s very, very painful not to have achieved it.” So said England manager Thomas Tuchel after the victory over France in the third-place play-off. The German manager said he regarded England’s World Cup campaign as a success, despite the collapse in the semi-final. The Three Lions saw a 1-0 lead against Argentina slip away and lost 2-1, with Messi providing two assists in the closing stages. Tuchel has been criticised for his tactical decisions in the defeat, and many are wondering what it will take for England to end their long wait for another trophy. This result, according to Tuchel, is the first step towards closing the gap on teams such as Argentina and France. “This match will certainly help us, even if there is a part of us that will never allow us to fully celebrate the bronze medal,” he explained.
