England national football team coach Thomas Tuchel said the dramatic victory over Norway was crucial for England as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta.
"The next three days are crucial for recovery. This win will be very helpful. We have the best facilities and we will be ready," said Tuchel in his post-match press conference against Norway in Miami on Saturday.
Everyone, Tuchel added, is preparing for the final eight days of football's biggest tournament.
Responding to the quarter-final result, he praised his team's fighting spirit after two goals from Jude Bellingham took his side into the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 comeback win over Norway.
Bellingham scored the equalizer in first-half injury time before scoring again early in extra time to help the Three Lions complete the comeback.
"There's nothing wrong with that," the coach said of his team's reliance on the duo of Bellingham and captain Harry Kane. "We don't have to feel bad because these two players play for us and decide the outcome of the game for us. That's impressive."
The high-stakes match was also marked by several video assistant referee (VAR) interventions. Norway's Torbjorn Heggem had a 55th-minute goal disallowed for a foul by Erling Haaland, while England's penalty decision in the final minutes was overturned after a review for a foul on Djed Spence.
Despite the victory, the England tactician remained critical of his team's technical performance. "I'm not completely satisfied. I think we could have played faster and more clinically. We made too many unforced errors and technical mistakes, which made us lose confidence," he said.
For Norway, the defeat marked the end of their historic run. Star striker Haaland was taken off the pitch 15 minutes before the end of extra time. "I think he struggled quite a bit with the physical aspect of the game. I could see he was struggling," said Tuchel.
