Kane defends Bellingham and Tuchel rift as media 'creating division' before Argentina semi-final

Harry Kane has accused broadcasters of attempting to “create division” within the England camp after a public disagreement between manager Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham threatened to overshadow the team’s World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway.

Bellingham scored twice — including the winner in extra time — to send England into a semi-final against Argentina. But Tuchel’s post-match assessment struck a discordant note, with the German coach describing his side as “lucky” and openly criticising the performance. When Bellingham was asked about those comments shortly after the final whistle, he replied: “Whatever. It’s difficult out there.” Pressed further, he added that Tuchel “maybe doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those conditions.”

Kane moved quickly to defuse the situation, arguing that the exchange had been blown out of proportion. “When you are playing a game like that and to be asked a question five minutes after the final whistle, and he didn’t really know what the manager has said, what do you want Jude to say?” Kane told the BBC. “We had just been through a battle. It was really tough out there.”

The England captain was pointed in his criticism of the media narrative that followed. “It is easy to try and create this division — it seems like an English mentality, an English thing to do at these major tournaments. But it is the complete opposite. The group is where we are because of our togetherness — not just the players, the coach and the staff. Things sometimes get made out to be more than they are.”

The episode carries added weight given the history between Tuchel and Bellingham. The manager previously overlooked the Real Madrid midfielder and was forced into a public reversal after describing Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive.”

This is not the first time Kane has taken aim at media coverage of the England squad. During Euro 2024, the striker called out former England internationals now working as pundits — including Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer — urging them to “remember what it’s like to wear the shirt” before offering criticism. Lineker later used an expletive to describe the team’s performance on his podcast.

England now face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, with Kane insisting the squad’s unity is the foundation of their run to the last four.