"I'am begging FIFA to change position of photographers, could not see my team in national anthem ": England coach Tuchel
Texas, June 18
Following his side's 4-2 win over Croatia to start their FIFA World Cup campaign, England coach Thomas Tuchel called on FIFA to make changes to their pre-match arrangements and positions of photographers after he missed seeing their players standing for the national anthem during his debut in the World Cup as a manager.
While captain Harry Kane scored twice, Croatia equalised on both occasions through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa before halftime. England then took control after the break, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford finding the net to secure the victory. Despite England's fine start to their campaign, Tuchel was not happy being swarmed by photographers as his players stood for the national anthem.
Tuchel, who did not sing the 'God Save The King', but stood silent, was unhappy that he could not see his players as they lined up for the national anthem, as the photographers obstructed his view, causing him to miss out on a "special moment".
"I have to tell you something, I am begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem because I could not see my team in the national anthem. I was waiting for this moment. It was a very, very special moment today, and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a metre away, and I could not see one single player. It ruined a little bit of my experience. It is very emotional. When I was young and when I started coaching, this was too big to dream of this kind of occasion," he said, according to Goal.com
The drama was not limited to the pre-match ceremony, as Tuchel was involved in a heated exchange with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. After Harry gave England an early lead, Tuchel was left unhappy with Jordan's approach, which caused the scorelines to stay level at 2-2 heading into the half-time.
The pitch-side mics captured Tuchel shouting at Pickford, asking him to play the ball to right back instead of forcing passes while off-balance. When the goalie tried to respond, the England coach shut him down saying, "You know what you are supposed to do, do as I told you!"
The England skipper Kane delivered a commanding display, scoring a brace against Croatia, with one goal coming from the penalty spot in the 12th minute and another in the 42nd minute, helping England secure a strong start to their campaign.
Kane became only the second England player to score in three separate FIFA World Cup tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), joining legend David Beckham (1998, 2002, 2006).
The Bayern Munich striker also equalled another major milestone, reaching 10 FIFA World Cup goals -- the joint-most by an England player alongside Gary Lineker.
In addition, Kane set a new global benchmark by scoring the most non-penalty shootout penalties in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to five.
During the clash, Ivan Perisic also became the second player to register an assist at four different FIFA World Cup tournaments. The Croatian player joined Argentine legend Lionel Messi as the only players in history to achieve this feat.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Typical European coach mentality – everything needs to be perfect for their 'special moment.' Meanwhile, in India, our players stand for the national anthem in crowded stadiums with people everywhere and no one complains. England won 4-2, so maybe just enjoy the victory instead of nitpicking photographers? 😅
Poor Tuchel, but I think he's forgetting the bigger picture – Kane scored twice, Bellingham and Rashford were brilliant, and they won! Also, it's hilarious how he scolded Pickford like a school teacher. "Do as I told you!" – straight out of a Bollywood coach scene. 😂
Kane is absolutely world class! Five non-penalty shootout penalties in World Cup history – that's insane consistency. And equalling Lineker's record of 10 WC goals? Legend. As for Tuchel, he's a perfectionist, but sometimes you need to let small things go. Great start for England though! 🇬🇧👏
Tuchel's complaint feels a bit like a first-world problem tbh. Maybe he should take a page from Indian cricket coaches – they manage with so much chaos around and still perform. But I admire his passion for the game. Hope England goes far, they have a strong squad! 🇮🇳✌️
I like how Tuchel is so emotionally invested – "too big to dream" – that's the kind of passion we need more of in football. But the photographers are just doing their job. Anyway, England looking strong! And kudos to Perisic too,
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