​England and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane has voiced his thoughts on Saturday’s hard-fought 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway, acknowledging that there remains room for improvement. Head coach Thomas Tuchel, while pleased with the win, admitted that England’s display was not perfect, saying the side “got lucky” at times and made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves throughout the match.
Kane recounted that Tuchel delivered a similar message to the players in the dressing room after the final whistle, praising them for reaching the semi-finals while emphasizing there is still scope to elevate their performance. “He just said in the changing room, ‘Massive congratulations,’ and told us we should enjoy it and celebrate, but he knows we can do better,” Kane told the FA after the game. The England captain also agreed with Tuchel’s assessment that the performance wasn’t their best. “It wasn’t our prettiest performance, we know that. I said before in the press conference that there’s another level we can reach. I still feel like we didn’t reach it as a team,” Kane added.
Yet Kane emphasized the positives, highlighting the qualities across the squad that enabled them to advance. “But we have match-winners – Jude [Bellingham] was the game-changer again today but the boys at the back, Pickers [Jordan Pickford], everyone put in an amazing shift, this man next to me [Elliot Anderson] as well. Everyone involved put the hard work in. The most important element of this team is togetherness and we showed that again today.” The 32-year-old forward also suggested that criticism could act as a catalyst for improvement, framing it as a constructive driver rather than a setback. “In a way, that’s a good thing. If we are in the semi-finals of a World Cup and knowing we can still improve and find another level, we have to take that as a positive. We can be better with the ball in possession. We have a couple of big games ahead.”
Jude Bellingham, however, appeared less swayed by Tuchel’s remarks, defending the team’s performance and underscoring the challenge they faced. “Yeah well, whatever. It’s difficult out there, it’s a tough shift. All the players have put in a tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players out there who put in a great shift,” said Bellingham, who scored both of England’s goals. He also suggested that Tuchel may not fully grasp what it’s like to negotiate such demanding conditions against top-tier opponents like Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa, and Alexander Sorloth.
With the quarter-final behind them, England now set their sights on the World Cup’s next stage, as the Three Lions prepare to face Argentina in the semi-finals on Wednesday at 21:00 CEST. The match promises another stern test for Kane, Bellingham, and a squad determined to convert potential into performance at the business end of the tournament.