World Cup 2026: England team is best for a long time – Declan Rice

Tuchel can continue to rely on Captain Kane for now.

The Bayern Munich striker will be 36 by the time the next World Cup rolls around but he appears to have no intention of hanging up his England boots.

Kane, who has scored six goals this World Cup but was an unused substitute against France, told the BBC: “One of the best England groups I’ve ever been a part of.

“When you see the kids around the hotel, when you see us training on the field, when you see us in the locker room, it’s a unique group. We had such a bond and we believed in each other so much.”

Kane added of Tuchel: “This is his first major tournament. I think he’s learned a lot about the team, the campaign, the travel, the games and the pressure it requires.”

One of the wounds that deepened with England’s victory against France was Tuchel’s decision not to send Bukayo Saka against Argentina.

The Arsenal winger, who was an unused substitute in the semi-final, scored a hat-trick against Les Bleus on Saturday and said afterwards that he is fully ready having suffered some injury concerns earlier in the North American season.

“Of course I would love to play more but it’s too late to talk about it now,” Saka told BBC One. “I’m trying to make my pitch on the field and it’s over now, go ahead. I’m ready.”

He said of the noise around the manager: “I guess it’s just part of the game… it’s how you react to it, how you use it as fuel and we finished the game strongly today and that’s really all we could do and that’s what we did.”

The surprising story of England’s 2026 World Cup has a bittersweet ending; A thrilling victory that no one wants to participate in.

But how this campaign will ultimately be remembered may not be fully determined until this team shoots the sequels.