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England manager Thomas Tuchel says his team are beginning to move beyond the disappointment of their World Cup exit after a commanding 7-0 victory over Croatia in the Nations League.
Tuchel faced intense criticism following England’s semi-final defeat by Argentina three months ago, after his decision to adopt a more defensive approach late in the match was followed by two goals from Argentina in the final five minutes.
England had taken the lead in the second half and were within sight of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. However, Argentina’s late turnaround ended their hopes and left Tuchel facing questions over his tactics and the team’s ability to recover from the setback.
The German coach has since used the current international break to help his players move forward.
England lost 3-2 to world champions Spain in their Nations League opener last weekend, but Tuchel saw encouraging signs in the performance. They followed that result with a 2-0 victory over a 10-man Czech Republic before producing their biggest win of his tenure against Croatia.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice in Rijeka, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also found the net. Tuchel said the result showed that England had learned from their World Cup experience.
“I’ve said many times, we will always have a scar, we will always feel pain and disappointment,” he said. “That is the way it is but this is the way to move forward.”
He added that England had adjusted certain aspects of their approach after the World Cup and had maintained that style across their three matches during the international break.
“We are getting better at it and the team buys into it, this is the most important,” Tuchel said.
The victory was particularly notable given Croatia’s strong home record. They had lost only four of their previous 41 matches on home soil before England inflicted their heaviest defeat.
Tuchel said the performance represented an important step for a squad still carrying memories of the World Cup disappointment.
“It was not an easy camp in the beginning after this long tournament for multiple reasons,” he said. “But it was excellent from the first training session.”
The England manager also praised Bellingham, who returned to the starting line-up after appearing as a substitute against the Czech Republic.
“At the moment, it seems like he’s gone to another level,” Tuchel said of the midfielder.
Bellingham’s performance was part of an impressive attacking display in which England consistently pressured Croatia and created chances through Kane, Gordon and Saka.
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Tuchel said the challenge for Bellingham and the rest of the squad would be to continue improving rather than becoming satisfied with their latest performance.
“You can never stand still. You have to push for the next level,” he said.
The result leaves England in a strong position to secure a top-two finish in their Nations League group and qualify for the quarter-finals in March, while giving Tuchel and his players a significant result as they continue to put their World Cup disappointment behind them.
