Jude Bellingham couldn't hide his shock when being told Thomas Tuchel was unhappy with England's performance in the 2-1 victory over Norway that secured a World Cup semi-final spot.
Match Recap
Bellingham's goal in extra time ensured England booked their spot in the semi-finals of the World Cup. Norway had taken the lead in the first half when Andreas Schjelderup's cross looped over Jordan Pickford and into the far corner. Bellingham hit back on the stroke of half-time to make it 1-1 before the Real Madrid star finished the job in extra time.
Tuchel's Criticism
England will now face Argentina in the semi-final on Wednesday, but despite his side's progression, Tuchel was not happy with the performance. “We made life very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic, we’re in the last four, it’s amazing, but no, I’m not happy with the performance,” Tuchel said. “In every sense. The commitment is there but we made life very difficult for us, in the way we played, how we played. Sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today.”
When interviewer Gabriel Clarke asked if it was a mentality issue, Tuchel said: “This is pure mentality, how can you ask about mentality? There is no mentality problem, this is pure, you can bottle it up and sell it. It’s nothing to do with mentality. The quality of our game. It’s nothing to do with mentality.”
Bellingham's Response
Tuchel's comments on the performance were relayed to Bellingham by Gabriel Clarke in a post-match interview, and the midfielder was taken aback when he heard the manager had been critical of the display. “Yeah, well... whatever. Whatever,” he said as he shrugged. “It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift. All the players have put in a very tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who have put in a tough shift once again.”
Pundit Reactions
Speaking as part of ITV's punditry team for the game, Manchester United legend Gary Neville praised both Bellingham and Tuchel for their post-match comments. "I love both interviews," he said. "Honestly, Thomas Tuchel's was fantastic, I think Jude Bellingham's response was brilliant." Roy Keane added: "The manager's being honest, and the player's being honest."
