According to Sky Sports, England captain Harry Kane has backed Tuchel to manage England, believing he can learn from the FIFA World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina.
According to Sky Sports, England captain Harry Kane has publicly supported coach Tuchel, believing that the latter can learn from the painful FIFA World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina and lead the team to challenge for the 2028 European Championship.
In that semi-final, Tuchel switched to a five-man defense after the late-game water break, attempting to hold onto a narrow 1-0 lead. However, England ultimately failed to withstand Argentina's sustained pressure, and his tactical choices drew widespread criticism after the match. Fortunately, in the subsequent third-place play-off, England and France played a 10-goal thriller, with England emerging victorious, securing their best FIFA World Cup finish since winning on home soil in 1966, and their best performance in an away tournament.
Reflecting on that loss, Kane admitted that the defensive decision backfired, but he now explicitly states that Tuchel will grow from it. Kane told Sky Sports: "He is a major reason why we are where we are today, and a key figure in us achieving our best finish in 60 years. There were a lot of 'what ifs' after that night, and it takes time to digest. The same goes for him. He is one of the best coaches in the world, but that doesn't mean he gets everything right every time – the same goes for the players on the pitch, we all make mistakes and we all have to strive to improve."
Kane also understood the fans' dissatisfaction: "Fans have the right to be angry. I think Tuchel knew better than anyone when he took over that this job is incredibly demanding and high-pressure. He almost led us to the end, but didn't quite make it. People will always try to find someone to blame, and that's part of our job."
He added: "I think he also needs time to digest. The whole process was crazy, with so many highs and also obvious huge lows. It was also his first major tournament, and he learned a lot from the players, the pressure, the environment, and the journey, which will only make us stronger in the future."
While the immediate focus is on the 2028 European Championship, Kane is also looking further ahead – he doesn't rule out playing in the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The Bayern Munich striker will be 36 by then, but this summer he just broke the England player FIFA World Cup goalscoring record, and his form remains red-hot. "I just had my best tournament, and I'm about to turn 33. You can't predict what will happen in four years; it's too long. I've said before that playing for England is my biggest goal. I feel better than ever now, and I never limit myself. As long as I can maintain this level of performance, I will continue to represent England. But four years is indeed too far away, I won't think too much about it."
Sky Sports reporter Callum Bishop analyzed: The disappointment of the semi-final stung particularly because it made people wonder – how long will England have to wait to be ready to challenge for a major title again by the time the 2030 FIFA World Cup arrives? Especially since the future of some key players remains uncertain at that point.
Tuchel has committed to leading the team to the 2028 European Championship, but that doesn't guarantee he will remain at the helm for the two years after that. However, if he can lead England to lift the trophy on home soil, then the idea of avenging Argentina at the FIFA World Cup two years later will undoubtedly be very tempting. The wound of losing to Argentina is still bleeding, and public opinion of him is mixed, but if he can embark on that path of revenge, it would be the ideal script.
As for Kane – at 36, most people would assume he's starting to decline. But we just saw 39-year-old Messi still shine in this tournament. The reality is, it's currently unclear who can take over from Kane. One of the biggest problems facing the FA is the lack of depth in attacking reserves. A lot will change between now and 2030, but all indications are that Kane will still be used as a center-forward then. Bellingham, Saka, Rice, Elliott Anderson, and others will be entering their prime, but will that be enough to support the firepower around Kane? And Kane, by then, may no longer be at his peak.
This is a unique discussion surrounding one of England's greatest ever players, but at present, without a clear successor, the answer to this discussion seems elusive.
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