England captain Harry Kane insists the squad is completely together ahead of their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, downplaying any suggestion of tension after Jude Bellingham pushed back on Thomas Tuchel’s critique of the Norway game.
England booked their place in the last four with a gruelling 2-1 victory over Norway in Miami on Saturday. They now face the defending champions in Atlanta on Wednesday (20:00 BST), after Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1.
Immediately after the Norway match, Tuchel said England were fortunate and that he was unhappy with the display across the board.
Asked about those remarks, Bellingham brushed them off, saying it had been a tough outing in difficult conditions.
Speaking to BBC Sport on Monday, Kane stressed there is no split in the camp. He noted that players are often questioned within minutes of the final whistle without full context, and warned against attempts to manufacture division around major tournaments. According to Kane, the squad, coaches, and staff are united, and any issues are frequently exaggerated.
Kane also said Tuchel’s approach differs from that of former manager Sir Gareth Southgate, but sees that as a positive. He described Tuchel as passionate and unscripted, qualities that make his messages authentic and compelling. Kane added that over the past two years the team has come to understand what drives Tuchel, and believes in his methods, calling him one of the best managers in the world.