England’s World Cup exit at the hands of Argentina has left Thomas Tuchel facing some serious questions, despite guiding the Three Lions to the semi-finals. Reaching that stage does not feel like something worth celebrating right now, and the 52-year-old head coach must now look ahead to what comes next.
First up is a Nations League meeting with Spain at Wembley on 26 September — a fixture that could, and perhaps should, have been a World Cup final rematch. England will also face Czechia and Croatia in the Nations League before attention turns to the Euro 2028 qualifying programme, which the Three Lions will participate in despite being co-hosts of the tournament.
Harry Kane’s international future remains one of the more pressing topics. The Bayern Munich striker was in the form of his life in the Bundesliga last season, scoring 61 goals in all competitions, but time is working against him — he turns 33 on 28 July. Kane is expected to still be around for Euro 2028, with the prospect of lifting a trophy on home soil potentially marking the end of his international career.
Kane’s place up front should not pose a problem for Tuchel, barring injury. The more urgent concern is finding a credible Plan B if the striker is unavailable. Tuchel brought Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney to the tournament as alternative central striking options, yet both were limited to just one minor substitute appearance each — hardly an encouraging sign.
The manner in which Argentina exploited England’s loss of concentration after they took the lead will sting. Tuchel could have entered the next international cycle with genuine optimism, but questions around depth, squad management and tactical flexibility now demand answers.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
