FA to canvass England players in World Cup review

What the report says

The Football Association has begun its routine post-tournament review of England’s World Cup campaign, BBC Sport Football reported. As part of that process, the FA plans to seek views from players who were involved in the competition, alongside input from head coach Thomas Tuchel and his staff. The review is part of the governing body’s standard checks after major international tournaments.

According to BBC Sport, Tuchel and members of his backroom team were at St George’s Park last week to assess England’s performance in North America. A fuller report on the campaign will be produced later. The review is also expected to examine England’s tournament base in Kansas City and whether the travel back to that location after matches had an effect on the squad.

The players’ feedback is notable because some members of the squad are understood to have had concerns about Tuchel’s substitutions and tactical choices during the semi-final defeat to Argentina. BBC Sport previously reported that at least three senior players privately questioned the late-game approach after England conceded twice late on in a 2-1 loss, having led 1-0 through Anthony Gordon.

Despite that setback, England finished the tournament with a bronze-medal win over France, their best World Cup result since 1966. BBC Sport said the FA views the campaign as a success and has backed Tuchel ahead of Euro 2028 qualifying. England’s next fixtures are set to come in the Nations League against Spain and other opponents in the upcoming international window.