Thomas Tuchel lauds ‘absolute leader’ Harry Kane after World Cup win

England manager Thomas Tuchel with Harry Kane following the FIFA World Cup Group L match at the Dallas Stadium. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Thomas Tuchel heaped praise on “full package” Harry Kane as well as fellow goalscorers Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford after England began the World Cup with a bang against Croatia.

The first European team to qualify for this summer’s tournament were among the last to get going but Wednesday’s Group L curtain-raiser in Dallas was worth the wait.

Bellingham and substitute Rashford found the net during a vastly improved second-period display in Texas, where Kane’s first-half brace saw him equal Gary Lineker’s 10-goal record as England’s top-scoring player at a World Cup.

Both of his efforts against Croatia were quickly cancelled out, but he led by example throughout a 4-2 victory that ended with the skipper producing a fantastic goal-saving block to deny Josko Gvardiol.

England boss Tuchel said: “If you see the commitment of our captain, of our number nine, in the extra time to block a crucial shot after a set piece with all his body and his commitment to buy into a defensive action like this, then you know everything about his performance today.

“Complete performance, absolute leader and he is all in – he’s all in physically, he’s all in mentally, and he’s all in.

Kane was named player of the match for his display in Dallas, where Bellingham justified his inclusion ahead of friend Morgan Rogers with a fine display and excellent goal moments into the second half.

“You can rely on Jude in these moments,” Tuchel said as attention turns to Tuesday’s meeting with Ghana.

“He loves these pressure games. That brings out the best in him, so that’s an easy decision to let him play and to trust him.

“Also, because of the last 16 days, 17 days, how he bought into the idea of team spirit and brotherhood, and into the idea of how we want to play football, which is slightly different to his position in Real Madrid.

“The tough, tough decision was today to say to Morgan Rogers that he will not start because he deserves 100 per cent to start, and he did ever so well for us and then for me.

“I think Jude was very reliable and did his very best to be a top team player for us.” 

Bellingham’s goal set the tone for an enhanced second half against Croatia, whose goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic did brilliantly to keep England at bay until substitute Rashford’s later goal.

It was a cool finish from a player who spent last season on loan from Manchester United at Barcelona, who spent big bringing in England rival Anthony Gordon on the eve of the World Cup.

“He struggled for us to be decisive when he started, but he was always trying and got a bit unlucky for a long time,” Tuchel said of Rashford.

“We just had a talk (on Tuesday) where I told him that I’m very, very impressed with his last 16 days – how he was in camp, how he pushes on the field.

“He is totally invested in every meeting. He is very, very fast in translating a meeting onto the pitch, what we want tactically.

“He pushes on a very respectful level with Anthony Gordon on the position, so at the moment he’s in a very good place.

“I was so happy that he was the one to unlock this long spell, where he was not decisive for us from within the game, and hopefully he can keep this up.”