In the early hours of June 18th, England kicked off their Group L World Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia. Harry Kane scored a brace, Jude Bellingham continued his impressive form, and Marcus Rashford sealed the win with a goal. On the scoreline, it was an impressive opening match.
But for Thomas Tuchel, this was perhaps one of the most worrying victories. Even in the first half in Dallas, England displayed a completely different performance from the image that had become Tuchel's trademark.
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England won big, but Tuchel is still worried. Photo: Reuters. |
The team constantly lost possession in dangerous areas, their formation was stretched thin, and their pressing system was disjointed. Croatia not only scored two goals but also caused the English defense to panic on several occasions.
Without the explosive performances of their attacking stars, England could very well pay the price.
Croatia exposed England's weaknesses.
Under Tuchel at Chelsea, the foundation of success was always solidity. It was a team that could win 1-0, 2-0, and almost give opponents no chance to retaliate. However, the current England team is different.
The first goal came from Jude Bellingham losing possession in midfield, but the problem lay in the defense's subsequent reaction. Croatia needed only a few passes to break through their opponent's defensive structure, allowing Martin Baturina to finish and score.
The second goal conceded was even more worrying. Ivan Perisic easily exploited the space on the flank before setting up Petar Musa for the goal. Reece James and Ezri Konsa were both poorly positioned in this situation.
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The defensive players have been inconsistent. Photo: Reuters. |
Croatia also actively targeted Nico O'Reilly, who made his first start for the national team. The young defender was repeatedly put in one-on-one situations and often struggled.
John Stones fared no better. The Manchester City center-back lacked form after a season plagued by injuries. He was slow in his movements and was repeatedly beaten by the Croatian players.
This is a completely different image from the Stones who used to be the leader of England's defense in major tournaments.
Kane saved England, but Brazil and France won't forgive him.
After the break, England completely transformed their performance. Bellingham scored to make it 3-2 with a superb piece of skill. Kane continued to show his killer instinct with a brace, while Rashford sealed the victory at the end of the match.
However, impressive attacking performances cannot erase the weaknesses behind the scenes. Major tournaments rarely belong to teams with unstable defenses. England may have scored more goals than Croatia, but it will be difficult to repeat that against opponents like Brazil, France, or Argentina.
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England cannot always rely on attack to compensate for defensive weaknesses. Photo: Reuters. |
It's worth noting that Croatia created quite a few more chances after the break. Before Rashford scored the fourth goal, the Balkan side could have easily brought the game back to a tie.
Tuchel understands this better than anyone. Improving Declan Rice's fitness or adjusting the midfield are things that can be solved. But the bigger question lies in the defense.
Is John Stones still fit enough to start in big matches? Should Marc Guehi be given a chance? And who will help England regain the solidity that is the foundation of Tuchel's philosophy?
The victory against Croatia has put England almost one foot in the knockout round. But looking further ahead, this is not yet the performance of a title contender.
Source: https://znews.vn/tran-thang-khien-tuchel-mat-ngu-post1660824.html
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