England’s World Cup Journey Continues

By Brian Otieno — 12 July 2026 — 3 min read

England’s World Cup Journey Continues

England captain Harry Kane has expressed confidence that the team possesses an untapped potential, stating they have “another level we can reach” in their pursuit of a World Cup title. This sentiment follows their recent 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in the quarter-finals, which secured their spot in the semi-finals.

The upcoming semi-final match will see England face Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta. This marks only the fourth time England has reached this stage of the tournament, having previously lost in the semi-finals in 1990 to West Germany and in 2018 to Croatia.

Manager Thomas Tuchel, despite the quarter-final win, voiced dissatisfaction with England’s performance. He described the team as having “got lucky,” being “sloppy,” making “a lot of technical mistakes,” and not being “fast enough, not repetitive enough.”

Kane, who has scored six goals in the tournament and is England’s joint top goalscorer alongside Jude Bellingham, acknowledged Tuchel’s frustrations. He suggested that the manager’s comments stemmed from the team not replicating their training form. Kane emphasised that while they have shown glimpses of their capability, they have not yet achieved the full control they desire.

“He knows as much as anyone that it’s not as simple as that, we’re playing against good opposition and good teams,” Kane stated. “He’s trying to drag it out of us and we know ourselves we have another level we can reach.”

Bellingham’s Impact and Disagreement with Tuchel

Jude Bellingham, who scored both goals in the victory against Norway, offered a different perspective on the team’s performance compared to Tuchel. Bellingham highlighted the challenging conditions and the effort put in by the players, noting they were up against formidable opponents like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.

His performance earned significant praise, with one pundit describing his influence in the tournament as exceptional. Bellingham is considered a current superstar for England, with his contributions in both attack and defence being highlighted. He is also noted for taking responsibility both on and off the pitch throughout the tournament.

The disagreement between Bellingham and Tuchel became a talking point after the match. Bellingham’s willingness to speak publicly and express his views was seen by some as a sign of his confidence and character. Despite the differing opinions, it is suggested that such exchanges can be part of striving for elite performance.

England has also experienced losses in recent European Championship finals, including against Italy on penalties in 2021. Kane noted that the team is consistently reaching semi-finals and finals, indicating they are “knocking on the door” for a major title.

Looking Ahead to the Semi-Finals

The upcoming semi-final against Argentina is a significant match for England. Kane stressed the importance of enjoying the moment, acknowledging that reaching this stage of the World Cup is not a common occurrence for the national team.

The winner of the match between England and Argentina will advance to the final to face either France or Spain. The final is scheduled to take place on a Sunday.

The team has been together for six weeks, and Kane emphasised the desire shown for the badge, indicating that an even greater effort will be required in the final week of the tournament.

Source: bbc.com