Thomas Tuchel praised England's players for their efforts following a thrilling 6-4 victory over France, securing third place at the World Cup for the first time. England surged ahead with a 4-0 lead at half-time, thanks to goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka.

In a dramatic second half, Kylian Mbappé scored to bring France back into contention, marking his 10th goal of the tournament and surpassing Lionel Messi’s World Cup record. Despite a late push from France, including a goal from Ousmane Dembélé, Saka completed his hat-trick, and Jude Bellingham sealed the win with his seventh goal of the tournament.

Tuchel acknowledged the significance of the victory, stating, "It’s the first [World Cup] medal for 60 years, first [at a] World Cup on foreign soil," and emphasized the need for continued improvement in their gameplay. He credited Jordan Henderson for delivering a motivational speech that set the right tone for the match.

Anthony Barry, Tuchel’s assistant, expressed pride in the team's performance, highlighting their resilience against a world-class opponent, despite the emotional backdrop of their journey.

Saka, who had been an unused substitute in the previous match against Argentina, reflected on the disappointment of not reaching the final but expressed pride in finishing strong.

As Zinedine Zidane prepares to take over from Didier Deschamps, who leaves with no regrets after a successful tenure, Tuchel's focus remains on pushing his players to elevate their game as they look forward to their upcoming Nations League match against Spain on 26 September.