In the last 2 matches, England had to defend their achievements in the final minutes. Against Mexico in the round of 16 and Norway in the quarter-finals, coach Thomas Tuchel brought Dan Burn on to strengthen the defense. With a height of nearly 2m and superior aerial ability, the Newcastle center-back continuously neutralized high crosses, contributing to helping the "Three Lions" maintain the victory.
The image of Burn heading to clear the ball in the last seconds of the match against Norway and then holding hands tightly to celebrate clearly reflects the fighting spirit that Tuchel wants to build for the England team.
Tuchel creates an adaptive England team
Right from the time he took office, Tuchel affirmed that he wanted to build a team capable of adapting to all circumstances instead of just relying on the strongest squad.
The German coach prioritizes choosing versatile players, ready to take on many different roles when the match changes. This helps England adjust tactics right on the field without losing balance.
That philosophy was clearly shown against Mexico and Norway. When the team encountered difficulties, Tuchel continuously changed the formation, adjusted the positions of the players to create an advantage. This flexibility helped England overcome many times that seemed deadlocked.
Different from the past
Under Gareth Southgate, the England team was built on a foundation of discipline and stability. However, when the match scenario changed, the "Three Lions" repeatedly failed to find a suitable solution. The defeats against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup or Italy at the EURO 2020 final all reflected that limitation.
Tuchel is bringing a completely different approach. He sees each player as a "tactical card" and only decides how to use it after reading the actual diễn biến of the match.
Dan Burn himself also admitted that he clearly understands his role before joining the national team. It is not necessary to start, but this center-back is always ready to enter the field to protect the advantage or create a difference at decisive moments.
Bellingham and the spirit of not giving up
The unwavering spirit of the England team is most clearly shown through Jude Bellingham. After scoring a double to help England reverse the score against Norway, the Real Madrid midfielder continued to affirm his leadership role both professionally and mentally.
More importantly, the whole team maintained confidence even when in a disadvantageous position. Against the DRC in the round of 16, Harry Kane scored a double to help England come back. In the quarter-finals, Bellingham played the hero with 2 goals to bring the "Three Lions" to the semi-finals.
This is only the third time in history that the England team has won backwards in World Cup knockout matches, but with the 2026 World Cup alone, they have done that twice.
The biggest challenge is still ahead
However, Tuchel is still not completely satisfied. After the victory over Norway, he frankly said that the team needs to control the game better, pass the ball more accurately and limit moments of losing initiative.
That will be a mandatory requirement when England enters the great battle with Argentina in the semi-finals. Against an experienced opponent with Lionel Messi, "The Three Lions" can hardly continue to expect comebacks.
However, the England team is no longer easily collapsed when facing adversity. That may be the most important foundation for them to continue to nurture hopes of conquering the 2026 World Cup.
