Thomas Tuchel has explained his decision to leave Bukayo Saka on the bench for England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, despite the Arsenal winger being fit to play.
Saka, who has been nursing an Achilles problem throughout the World Cup, was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup for the entire game against Argentina. However, he made a statement in the third-place match against France, scoring a hat-trick and leading England to a thrilling 6-4 victory.
Tuchel faced scrutiny over his defensive substitutions in the second half of the semi-final against Argentina, but he has defended his decision to leave Saka on the bench. 'He did everything right,' Tuchel said of Saka. 'I just had the feeling in the semi-final for Morgan Rogers that he would be involved in something special, and that was it.'
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Saka, who was given the Player of the Match award, was asked whether he would have liked to have been given a bigger role for England at the World Cup. 'Of course I would love to have played more but it's too late to talk about that,' Saka said. 'I try to do my talking on the pitch and it's done now, move on.'
When asked about concerns over his injury, Saka replied: 'I'm fit.' Tuchel also admitted that he was concerned with the 'physical demands' of the third-place game against France, as Didier Deschamps' side had an extra day to recover.
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England ended their World Cup campaign with a bronze medal, and Tuchel praised the team's mentality and resilience. 'We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half,' Tuchel said. 'You could see the difference of what one day makes and the difference in the schedule. We are so, so tired and drained from the last weeks.'
Tuchel also highlighted the challenges England faced in terms of travel distances and playing in the heat and at altitude. 'I was worried physically,' Tuchel said. 'You could see it in the second half, the cramps and all the tiredness, but I was never worried about the mentality.'
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The England manager believes that the team has created something special, and they showed it again in the third-place match against France. 'I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again,' Tuchel said.
As England's World Cup campaign comes to an end, the team will now look to build on their success and prepare for future tournaments. Despite the disappointment of not reaching the final, England's bronze medal is a testament to the team's hard work and dedication.
Source: Metro
