Thomas Tuchel admits there’s a visible gap between England and the world’s elite | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel has admitted England are still some way behind some of the best teams in the world, but he’s still determined to lead the Three Lions despite growing criticism following their World Cup exit.

England’s hopes of reaching the final ended with a painful 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina, and Tuchel has faced questions over his tactical decisions during the closing stages of the match.

Some supporters have even suggested the Football Association (FA) should consider replacing him before the 2028 European Championship, which England will co-host.

However, the German manager made it clear he has no intention of stepping away from the role. He believes the disappointment should become a lesson rather than a reason to panic.

Tuchel acknowledged that England still have work to do before they can consistently compete with the best teams in the world.

“This is my pain, the players’ pain,” Tuchel said (via the Daily Mail). “It is our scar that we carry. It’s a very painful defeat, and we have to live with it. Not the critics, the experts, not our families.

“We believe we could do it. We had genuine belief. I still believe three other nations, France, Spain and Argentina, expect to win. We are not there yet.

“There is still a gap to close. This is what we will do, starting tomorrow. We have to play better football under pressure. We still have another level to reach. From there we go.

“We will not stop hunting and chasing. We have things to improve. There is not a lot of room for drama. If the blame game needs to be played, then OK, you can do that, but I choose not to engage.”

England will hope to better their performance when Euro 2028 rolls around, but anything short of winning the tournament could spell the end for Tuchel.