19/06/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Team talk transformed ‘nervy’ Lions

chose to go safe and play too many balls backwards. “We struggled to find the rhythm, didn’t have the confidence to go through the gaps and find the rhythm in some short passes and then the switch of play.” Tuchel was much happier after the break as England ran out ultimately fairly comfortable winners. “I love the reaction of the players into the second half, the second half was excellent,” he said.

want to be, dropping deep, waiting and conceding anyway. “He kind of just said, what’s the worst that can happen? We lose a match, first group game, we get on with it, we move on, let’s just go and show the world who we can be. “And I think we’ve done exactly that second half.” The German Tuchel, tasked with tak ing England to their first major trophy since 1966, said he thought his side were nervy and passive in the first half. Tuchel called the first 45 minutes “complicated”. “I felt a bit nervy,” he told ITV . “The decisions we took were basically, we

jured up numerous chances after that through Kane, Bellingham and Nico O’Reilly, before substitute Marcus Rashford wrapped up the three points. The victory showed England at their attacking best, but they were flimsy at the back, especially in the first half. Asked how they had pulled away after the break, Kane said of the coach Tuchel: “He gave a great speech to be honest, especially the way we con ceded that second goal just before the half-time. “He just told us to let the shackles off, calm down, what are we scared of? Let’s just go. “The way we conceded that second goal, it’s not the team we

CAPTAIN Harry Kane credited Thomas Tuchel with delivering a half-time team talk that propelled England to a 4-2 win over Croatia to launch their World Cup title bid yesterday. Kane scored twice in the first half of a chaotic encounter in Texas, one a retaken penalty, only for 2018 runners up Croatia to fight back to go in 2-2 at the break. England started the second half with a bang, Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham galloping down the wing before pinging the ball into the bottom corner. One of the favourites to win the tour nament in North America, England con Bellingham hopes goal scoring display will silence ‘noise’ JUDE BELLINGHAM hopes his pivotal goal in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia at the World Cup yester day will silence the “noise” sur rounding him, admitting: “I’ve got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder.” The Real Madrid midfielder got the nod from Thomas Tuchel to start in England’s No. 10 role for their opening match in Texas. The 22-year-old, who at times divides opinion among England fans and has not always had the smoothest relationship with Tuchel, delivered when his country needed him. With a chaotic game locked 2-2 at the break, Bellingham scored two minutes into the second half to put England on the way to an ulti mately fairly comfortable win. It capped an all-action display from Bellingham, who started ahead of Morgan Rogers, and he told the BBC : “For me personally it was nice to put some of the noise aside and show my country, show my team-mates, how committed I am to helping us win football matches.” Bellingham, who could play a vital role for England if they want to win their first major trophy since 1966, said it had been “a tougher season” for me. But he comes to football’s big gest stage feeling “fresh and sharp and strong, and ready to give everything”. He added: “I’ve got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder.” Asked if that helps him play bet ter, he replied: “I think so. That helps me a lot to find that focus early in the game, to find that intensity. “I know it’s part of being a foot baller, I don’t hold a grudge about anyone that says bad things about me because sometimes I do deserve it. “Today I think it was nice to try and show people and remind people what I’m about.” Tuchel, who once described Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive”, before apologising, challenged him to show the same level for however long England are in the tournament. “A very good player, he deserved to start,” said the German coach. “And that’s what he needs to do, fight for his place, to keep his place, that’s what he did, it was good.” – AFP

“We deserved to win, but it was emo tional, a lot of emotions involved and it took us a while to get going, but we did get going, and that’s positive.” – AFP Rice problem for Tuchel T HOMAS TUCHEL admit ted he would never take Declan Rice off in normal circumstances after sub Arsenal’s Rice was sur prisingly brought off in the 72nd min ute and replaced by the moment to protect. I think Reece James did so well to replace him in midfield, he did a fantastic game. “I hope it’s nothing more, Declan just reassured me at the Declan injury fears after England’s World Cup win over Croatia

“Normally I would never take Declan out but I didn’t want to take any risk. He had some unusual ball losses and I saw a “Then I asked him and he pointed directly to his lower back and upper ham string, that he feels the discom fort. I didn’t want to take any risks, it was bit of dis comfort.

bing the midfielder in England’s 4 2 defeat of Croatia due to an injury scare. A Harry Kane brace and bril liant second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford ensured the Three Lions kick started their World Cup campaign in style in the United States. But amid the celebrations, there were fears in Texas over the fitness of Rice after he was substituted. Kane’s opener came from the penalty spot at the second attempt. His first was

Morgan Rogers.

end ‘it’s good, it’s good’ and I know the discomfort, we will take care of it. It’s nothing big to worry about.” Speaking on the game, Tuchel said: Yeah, the reaction was excel lent, the effort was enormous because we were not very clean with the first and second touch after we won balls. “We were not clean enough and lost a lot of these moments and then you work a lot. A ball loss after a ball win is maybe the most tiring thing you can have and we had a lot of them so we are exhausted. “But don’t get me wrong, I love exhausted players in a dressing room and I think we needed this.

ITV sug gested that the 27-year-old Premier League winner limped off the pitch while being subbed. And Tuchel told the broadcaster post-match: “Let’s see. I hope they are OK.

saved but the spot-kick was

retaken due to both encroachment and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic coming off his

“It’s a strong opponent, it’s pressure, first game of the tournament and we got our win. Today it’s only positives and tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we fix all the other stuff.” Speaking to ITV himself, Rice declared: “I’m all good. Good as gold. Just what I’ve been nursing probably in the second half of the season at Arsenal, a little neural pain here and there. But I’m all good, all fine, just precaution and I’ll be back out there against Ghana.” – Express Newspapers/ Agencies

line. The captain was clinical at the second time of asking. Martin Baturina then equal ised before Kane headed England back in front from a Rice corner. Petar Musa stunned England when he made it 2-2 in first-half stoppage time until Tuchel’s side took the

game away from Croatia after the break. Rashford both scored as England pep pered Livakovic’s goal. Yet

Bellingham and

Declan Rice reacts after England’s World Cup Group L match against Croatia yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Keane, Neville praise ‘fantastic’ performance

BY MICHAEL JONES

sit off and play a bit deeper. He (Tuchel) makes the substitutions and they have a big impact and we go and get that fourth (goal). It was a really good second half and some of the stuff in the first 10 minutes was fantastic.” Ian Wright also praised England’s attacking mindset and how they looked “dangerous” once they clicked into gear. He said: “People will talk about the defensive side and what happened in the first half but I thought they surprised us a bit with the way they pressed. “I can’t remember a time when England have gone forward so well, played so well and looked so danger ous. We can always work on the defen sive side.” – The Independent

set pieces and I think it’s good, though strange, that they conceded a couple of goals because it keeps them on their toes. “I think if they’d won three or four-nil the two lads (Neville and Wright) would have been on the table!” Neville went further and attributed the second half turnaround to Tuchel’s team talk lighting a fire under the players with that view also echoed by Harry Kane during his post-match interview. “He’s (Thomas Tuchel) given them an absolute rocket at half-time hasn’t he?” Neville suggested. “They’ve come out and for 20 minutes in that second half they were breath-taking. “What I liked about it then is they had to

ROY KEANE, Gary Neville and Ian Wright were full of praise for England following their 4-2 victory over Croatia in their first World Cup 2026 group stage game of this summer’s tournament. Speaking on ITV following the final whistle, Keane explained how Thomas Tuchel and the team will be “delighted” by the performance but that England still need to be wary going forward. “They’ll be delighted. Scored four goals, the attacking players obviously having an impact, subs coming on and doing well, controlling the game,” said the former Manchester United captain. He added: “They looked dangerous at