England Have Moved Beyond World Cup Heartbreak, Says Tuchel After Strong Nations League Run

London: England manager Thomas Tuchel has said his team has put its World Cup semi-final disappointment behind it and taken an important step forward through its recent performances in the UEFA Nations League.

Speaking after England’s 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday, the 53-year-old German coach said the squad had built on the progress achieved at this summer’s World Cup in North America rather than starting afresh, as the team sets its sights on success at Euro 2028, which England will co-host. “I think it’s necessary to move on,” Tuchel told reporters.

Tuchel has continued to face questions about England’s 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina in July, a loss that ended the Three Lions’ hopes of reaching the World Cup final. The manager stressed, however, that the team’s campaign should be viewed in its proper context, reminding critics that England reached the last four of the tournament rather than suffering an early exit.

England’s Nations League campaign began with a 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain, but the side responded emphatically with home and away wins over the Czech Republic and a 7-0 rout of Croatia in Rijeka, handing the Croatians the heaviest defeat in their history. In total, England have scored 14 goals across their opening four group matches.

The victory over Croatia was widely regarded as one of England’s finest performances in recent years. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice, with Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also finding the net, while Jude Bellingham, recently named England’s Player of the Year for 2026, contributed a goal and three assists.

Tuchel praised the commitment and attitude of his players, saying their standards had been very high from the first day of the international camp and had been reflected in all four matches. He also noted that his side had dominated the Czech Republic despite playing its fourth match in less than two weeks.

England will resume their Nations League campaign against Croatia on November 12.