Tuchel: England carry ‘scars’ of World Cup heartbreak into France playoff

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that England coach Thomas Tuchel said his squad still feels the pain of its World Cup semifinal defeat as it prepares to face France in the third-place playoff. The match is scheduled for Saturday in Miami, after England lost 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta and France were beaten 2-0 by Spain.

Tuchel faced questions at a Friday pre-match news conference about his tactics, particularly defensive changes made during the Argentina match. England had led through Anthony Gordon before late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez sent Argentina to the final. Tuchel said he made in-game decisions under pressure and accepted responsibility because the result went against his team.

The England manager described the defeat as a painful mark that he and the players must carry, while saying criticism from outside the squad was secondary to the disappointment felt inside it. He also said England, ranked fourth by FIFA, still has ground to make up on Argentina, Spain and France, pointing to their recent records and titles as evidence of more established tournament pedigree.

The playoff comes at the end of Tuchel’s first major tournament in charge of England. Argentina will meet European champions Spain in Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For England, the France match is both a chance to respond quickly and a test of how the team handles another high-profile setback after falling short of a first World Cup final since 1966.