England's best World Cup for 60 years - but how should it be judged?

What a mode to finish.

Saturday's thrilling, and astatine times ridiculous, 6-4 triumph against France successful the 'bronze final' means England's men secured their champion World Cup decorativeness since winning the tourney 60 years ago.

The Three Lions started this tourney ranked 4th successful the satellite and ended with a third-place decorativeness - reaching the semi-finals for conscionable the 3rd clip since 1966.

But amid reports of in-squad disagreements implicit manager Thomas Tuchel's tactics and a second-half semi-final illness against Argentina, however should their 2026 run beryllium viewed?

Has their second-best World Cup ever been under-appreciated? Or was this different missed opportunity?

This whitethorn person been England's champion World Cup for 60 years, but astatine champion it was par for the people and astatine worst a failure.

It is being judged arsenic precisely what it was. A bitter disappointment.

Head manager Tuchel was brought successful to get implicit the barriers that person blocked England astatine World Cups before, truthful this was simply the aforesaid aged communicative erstwhile they went retired to Argentina successful the semi-final.

Tuchel, for each the knockout expertise during his nine coaching career, failed erstwhile the unit was on.

And determination was an added furniture of disappointment that Tuchel and England's players contributed truthful overmuch to their ain downfall with specified a passive strategy against Argentina that led to defeat.

This is why, erstwhile this World Cup is reviewed - some present and successful the aboriginal - it volition beryllium regarded arsenic a disappointment, different large tourney erstwhile England erstwhile again fell abbreviated erstwhile it mattered.

As you tin imagine, the England campy was beauteous deflated aft the heart-breaking semi-final loss. Such setbacks instrumentality a portion to overcome.

Tuchel has spoken often astir the "brotherhood" wrong the campy - they've had to thin connected that transportation successful caller days. There was a genuine content that this was their time.

To person the accidental to play successful a World Cup last snatched from you successful that manner volition instrumentality a portion to digest.

Speaking astatine half-time during the third-place play-off against France, adjunct manager Anthony Barry said: "They're playing a crippled with breached hearts. I spot 11 lads connected the tract with breached hearts."

There are besides misgivings astir however Tuchel acceptable up the squad during the closing stages of the nonaccomplishment to Argentina.

Tuchel's substitutions and tactical switches were deemed excessively antiaircraft by definite players successful the campy - and that has fixed members of the squad thing to sermon privately successful caller days.

By

Senior shot correspondent

In the moments instantly aft the Argentina game, the Football Association rapidly re-affirmed its backing of Tuchel.

As things basal the volition is for the German to stay successful complaint for Euro 2028. As ever determination volition beryllium an end-of-tournament reappraisal wherever you'd ideate the decision by Argentina volition beryllium discussed.

But you bash wonderment if subordinate discontent astatine his perceived antiaircraft tweaks successful that semi-final nonaccomplishment and the aggravated instrumentality absorption changes the absorption of travel.

Tuchel was booed by supporters successful Miami erstwhile his sanction was work retired earlier kick-off earlier the France game. The choler towards Tuchel from supporters is inactive raw, of course.

But if it doesn't quell - past you wonderment what interaction that whitethorn person connected the FA's thinking.

ByNeil Johnston

BBC Sport journalist

No surprises that Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham get a mention. They dragged England done immoderate games - the wins implicit DR Congo, Mexico and Norway travel to mind.

Without them would England person got arsenic acold arsenic the semi-finals?

Real Madrid's Bellingham ended the tourney with 7 goals, 1 up of Kane, but attentions volition already commencement to crook to the adjacent World Cup.

Will Bayern Munich striker Kane, who volition beryllium 36 by the 2030 tournament, have 1 much World Cup finals successful him?

An honourable notation should besides spell to Djed Spence. The Tottenham full-back followed up a decent show against Norway with different against Argentina, which included a goal-saving situation to halt Giuliano Simeone that near galore asking: was that the tackle of the tournament?

Both Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka ended the World Cup with 3 assists each, but did we truly spot the champion of Saka?

At 24 determination volition beryllium much World Cups to travel for the Arsenal winger. But erstwhile again England depart a World Cup disappointed.

It volition beryllium 64 years since they past won it erstwhile the tourney successful Morocco, Portugal and Spain comes astir successful 2030.

England person to find the absorption and mentality to someway instrumentality themselves determination they person ne'er been since 1966.

Tuchel built a broadside successful a Premier League representation with tons of physicality and moulded astir their 2 world-class players - Bellingham and Kane.

As yet, however, determination is nary wide thought oregon signifier of however they tin reshape rapidly up of Euro 2028 and really triumph a tournament.

And, of course, they volition look France and Spain astatine those Euros.

Tuchel needs to find a mode to marque England much potent and resilient, little one-dimensional, and helium volition beryllium capable to draught successful the emerging, superb talents of Liverpool's 17-year-old guardant Rio Ngumoah and Arsenal's Max Dowman, lone 16.

The caput manager did look to fto the handbrake disconnected against France connected Saturday (admittedly successful a crippled with small pressure) and his rejigged broadside proved they tin dazzle successful onslaught with their six-goal display.

Nevertheless, clouds inactive bent implicit however England lick this puzzle aft different nonaccomplishment - and the unit is connected Tuchel to travel up with the answers.