Tuchel claims stamina fuels England’s World Cup third‑place surge

Thomas Tuchel insisted he still has the energy to guide England after their 6‑4 victory over France, which secured third place at the World Cup, saying the team’s fight “gives you energy” and that it “gives me more energy than it takes away.”

Despite heavy criticism from back home, Tuchel remained optimistic, noting that “Seeing the team fight like that gives you energy. It gives me more energy than it takes away.”

He added that the performance was enough for four games, describing a fantastic first half and a turbulent second half, and highlighting the difference one day of recovery makes, while noting fatigue from the last few weeks.

Tuchel praised his squad as “very impressive” and expressed high regard for their resilience.

He highlighted England’s ambition to close the gap with the world’s top three – France, Spain and Argentina – stating, “We will close that gap. Today we took the first step.”

When asked about recent criticism, he replied, “To be honest, yesterday’s press conference felt as if we had been knocked out in the group stage without a single win. Just 24 hours later, we’re celebrating the biggest success in 60 years.”

He warned against over‑emphasising the lows or highs, saying the defeat against Argentina had been portrayed too negatively, but acknowledged that such swings are part of the football business.

Concluding, Tuchel said, “So you have to endure it, withstand it, stay strong, and keep believing in yourself. I’m glad we showed that reaction. We wanted that reaction, and it was very impressive.”