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Tuchel left searching for England's missing joy after worrying defeat
The Guardian
|June 12, 2025
Lack of dynamism and control in the loss to Senegal leaves head coach with much to ponder and not much time
It was 11pm on Tuesday and it sounded as if there was some kind of road rage incident on the forecourt of the City Ground in Nottingham. All that could be heard was the deep blare of a horn from a large vehicle, which went on for an uncomfortably long time. Then the realisation dawned. It was the Senegal team bus and the driver was geeing up the gaggle of fans draped in the country's colours, still ecstatic at how they had beaten England 3-1.
The celebrations had got into full swing when Cheikh Sabaly swept home the clinching goal in stoppage time, the Senegal bench emptying, everybody wanting in on it. No team from Africa had beaten England before and it did not matter it was a friendly. The scene in the visiting dressing room was probably best described - as heard - by Thomas Tuchel.
"The players came in... it was next to my changing room... screaming: 'Senegal!' The next one: 'Senegal!'" the England head coach said. "Hitting on boxes and whatever. It was not offensive. It was nice to see what it means to them."
This story is from the June 12, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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