ไทย
English
中國人
England head coach Thomas Tuchel is expected to continue pressing FIFA regarding the placement of photographers during pre-match ceremonies, even after receiving a partial accommodation following his initial objections.
Attention turned to Tuchel ahead of England's clash with Croatia at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday, when British journalists oddly questioned whether he—being German—would join in singing the English national anthem.
Tuchel tactfully responded that he was "not there yet," but hinted he might consider it should his side reach a men's World Cup final for the first time in six decades. "At the very end, maybe."
Nevertheless, as the anthems rang out just before kickoff against Croatia, the coach found himself facing a dense row of cameras positioned barely two or three feet from him.
Tuchel Granted Concession After 'Begging'
Tuchel revealed he had been "begging" FIFA to "change the position of the photographers," arguing that it prevented him from seeing his players during what should have been a memorable moment in his career, regardless of where he was born. "I was waiting for this moment and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a meter away, and I could not see one single player. It ruined a little bit my experience."
FIFA has since responded by adjusting the protocol for these pre-match moments.
Photographers are now required to cluster more tightly than before, while managers and their coaching staff are allowed to shift left or right to get a clear view of their players on the field. However, The Times reports that this may still fall short of satisfying Tuchel, who questions why he—rather than the photographers—should be the one to step outside his designated area in the technical zone to avoid the same issue recurring.
England's Football Association may yet step in to pursue the matter further with FIFA on his behalf.
What's Next for Tuchel, England?
The Three Lions established themselves as one of the more potent attacking sides in the opening round of matches after comfortably dispatching Croatia, with only goalkeeper Dominik Livaković preventing a heavier defeat.
With that fixture expected to be England's most challenging in Group L, the outlook is promising ahead of their upcoming matches against Ghana and Panama. A win over Ghana on June 23 at Gillette Stadium would secure England's place at the top of the group and earn them a more favorable path through the early knockout rounds. Even a draw in that game could effectively confirm their spot in the knockout stage.
Should England finish as Group L winners, they would face a third-place finisher in the round of 32 and potentially meet co-host Mexico—already confirmed as Group A winners—in the round of 16.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
But as England and their coaching staff emerge from the tunnel in Foxborough next Tuesday, all eyes will once again be fixed on Tuchel along the touchline.