
No panic, but England ‘not good enough', says Kane
Captain Harry Kane said England must improve quickly if they are to contend for next year's World Cup after slumping to a 3-1 home friendly defeat by Senegal on Tuesday.
A first ever defeat against African opposition has put England boss Thomas Tuchel under pressure just four games into his reign.
After struggling past minnows Andorra 1-0 in World Cup qualifying on Saturday, Tuchel's 10 changes had little effect as Senegal ran out deserved winners in Nottingham thanks to goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra and Cheikh Sabaly.
'Not good enough. We had moments, but with and without the ball things aren't clicking, we're not finding the right tempo,' said Kane, who opened the scoring with his 73rd international goal.
'We've lost that aggressive nature that we had.'
Former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel was hired with the task of taking England one step further to major tournament glory after losing in the last two European Champion-ship finals.
Kane believes his side is going through a transition period since Gareth Southgate's departure after Euro 2024, but said there is little time to get things right with the World Cup now just a year away.
'We're not going to panic but we know we need to be better,' added the Bayern Munich striker. 'New ideas, there's new players coming into the team that don't have experience at international level. It's a mixture of things but no excuses.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Bellingham ‘special boy' despite ‘repulsive' behaviour, says Tuchel
England manager Thomas Tuchel said his own mother finds some of Jude Bellingham's antics 'repulsive' but he does not want to dim the Real Madrid star's fire. Tuchel suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on Tuesday when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win. Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time. Tuchel had to restrain Bellingham's protests at the decision at full-time and said it is a balancing act to retain the 21-year-old's fight without it bubbling over. 'Sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV,' said Tuchel in a wide-ranging interview with radio station talkSPORT on Wednesday. 'I see that but, in general, we are very happy to have him. He's a special boy.' Tuchel dismissed suggestions England could be better off without Bellingham, who starred in the Three Lions' run to the Euro 2024 final. But he called on the Bellingham to inspire rather than intimidate his team-mates. 'He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things,' added Tuchel. 'It needs to be channelled towards the opponent and towards our goal, and not to intimidate team-mates or be aggressive towards teammates or referees but always on winning. 'He has the fire -- I don't want to dim that, he should play with that as that's his strength. 'But the fire comes also with some attribute that can intimidate team-mates. Sometimes you see the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game. 'If he can channel this in the right way he has something that we need and that edge is hard to find.'


Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Cunha completes ‘dream' Manchester United move
Manchester United on Thursday confirmed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves on a five-year deal with the option of a further year. The club effectively completed the deal on June 1 after activating a £62.5 million ($85 million) release clause in the 26-year old's contract. 'It is hard to put into words my feelings about becoming a Manchester United player,' said the Brazil international. 'Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother's house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt. 'I can't wait for the start of pre-season to get to know my teammates and prepare for the season ahead. 'All my focus is now on working hard to become a valuable part of the team, and helping get this club back to the top.' Cunha became Ruben Amorim's first signing of the summer transfer window as the head coach sets about overhauling his squad after a miserable domestic campaign and a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. The striker helped his country qualify for the World Cup finals on Tuesday when he set up the only goal for Vinicius Junior in a 1-0 win over Paraguay. United's director of football Jason Wilcox added: 'Bringing in Matheus was one of our main priorities for this summer, so we are delighted to have completed his signing so early in the window. 'He has all the qualities we are looking for as we seek to build a strong, dynamic and entertaining team capable of challenging for the biggest hon - ours.'


Daily Tribune
17 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Kicking Forward, Dreaming Bigger
TDT | Manama Soccer Steps into the American Spotlight With just a year to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, soccer is experiencing a quiet but profound transformation in the United States. No longer a peripheral pastime, the sport known globally as 'the beautiful game' is carving out real ground in a country long defined by its affection for American football, baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. The shift comes not just in the stands but also in the nation's infrastructure, talent pipeline, and cultural consciousness. And with 11 of the tournament's 16 host cities located in the U.S., the countdown to the world's biggest sporting event is sparking both excitement and reflection. A Long Way Since 1994 The last time the United States hosted a men's World Cup, in 1994, Major League Soccer (MLS) didn't yet exist. The final, a goalless draw settled on penalties between Brazil and Italy in front of over 94,000 fans at the Rose Bowl, hinted at potential, but the sport remained largely on the fringe. Former U.S. international Eddie Pope, who played in MLS's inaugural season in 1996, remembers those early days vividly—and not entirely fondly. '(At) Real Salt Lake, we literally—our locker room was in a strip mall,' he recalled. 'You didn't know where we were going to train some days.' Now serving as chief sporting officer at MLS Next Pro club Carolina Core FC, Pope sees a different world emerging. 'The players are better, the coaches are better. The referees are better—everything's better. And it took time, but I would say that we've moved at lightning speed.' Atlanta Takes Centre Stage Nowhere is that transformation more visible than in Atlanta, which was passed over as a World Cup host in 1994 as it prepared to stage the Olympics two years later. In 2026, the city will host eight World Cup matches—including a semi-final—and will become the new home of the U.S. Soccer Federation's first-ever national training centre. The move marks a symbolic shift in American soccer's geographic and strategic centre of gravity. 'You've a men's league that's been developed. You have international games coming in droves to the United States,' said Tim Zulawski, president of AMB Sports & Entertainment, the sports enterprise led by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. 'And ultimately, what you really have is kids having idols and people to look up to,' he added, speaking to the sport's long-term potential. The economic impact is expected to be substantial, with officials projecting $500 million in revenue for Atlanta alone. But perhaps more importantly, the city will become a cultural focal point for a sport still defining its identity on American soil. Challenges Still Remain Despite the infrastructure gains and growing public interest, challenges persist. The U.S. men's national team continues to grapple with inconsistency, and new head coach Mauricio Pochettino faces mounting pressure to deliver results in time for the tournament. But even amid sporting concerns, optimism prevails. The World Cup offers more than just a platform for competition—it provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deepen soccer's roots across America. FIFA President Gianni Infantino remains bullish. Three years ago, he predicted soccer would become the region's top sport following the 2026 edition. Whether or not that bold vision materialises, the trajectory is clear: American soccer is no longer on the sidelines. It's stepping onto centre stage.