Bellingham is not wrong but England must play better, says Tuchel

England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Jude Bellingham's crucial role in their World Cup semi-final victory over Norway but insisted the team needs to improve its overall play. Bellingham scored both goals in the 2-1 win, securing England's spot in the semi-finals.

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It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players put in a very tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation go to the players who were out there who put in a great shift yet again.

Bellingham, who was named man-of-the-match, stated that the team "put in a great shift." Tuchel agreed with the assessment of the players' effort, praising their "effort, team spirit, the belief, and to overcome adversity." He commended their ability to "dig in and find ways to win" as being on the "highest level."

However, Tuchel, speaking as a football coach, expressed a desire for better performance. "I think we can play better. In general, I think it was not a high-level game," he stated. "The analysing head of me and the football coach in me still thinks that we can and have to play better football."

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Absolutely, no one disputes that. I'm impressed with the shift that they put in, the effort, team spirit, the belief, and to overcome adversity and to dig in and find ways to win is on the absolutely highest level. They cannot get enough praise for that.

Tuchel highlighted the dominance of Bellingham and captain Harry Kane in England's scoring, with the pair responsible for 12 of the team's 13 goals in the tournament. While he wants other players to contribute more offensively, he acknowledged the importance of his star duo. "They are decisive players. They love the responsibility. They have the quality. They show up in decisive moments, so there's nothing wrong with it," Tuchel said.

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But I'm also a football coach, and I think we can play better. In general, I think it was not a high-level game. I think we had better games in general. The analysing head of me and the football coach in me still thinks that we can and have to play better football.

Despite his critique of the team's style of play, Tuchel reaffirmed his pride and connection to the team, emphasizing their resilience. "They just do whatever it takes to take the next step. They just refuse to lose. They overcome obstacles and adversity," he said. England is set to face Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals.

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They just do whatever it takes to take the next step. They just refuse to lose. They overcome obstacles and adversity.