Tuchel urges FIFA to move photographers after anthem view blocked in England's 4-2 win over Croatia

Thomas Tuchel emerged from England’s 4-2 World Cup victory over Croatia with an unusual grievance: a wall of photographers had prevented him from watching his players sing God Save the King before kick-off, and he wants FIFA to act.

“I’m begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem,” Tuchel said after the match. “I could not see my team during the national anthem and I was waiting for this moment — it was a very, very special moment today. I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a metre away and I could not see a single player. It ruined a little bit of my experience today.”

Under current tournament regulations, photographers are permitted to line the touchline during the pre-match anthems to capture images of both squads before being restricted to designated areas behind the goal or adjacent to the benches once play begins.

Tuchel had already made clear ahead of the Croatia fixture that he would not be joining in with the anthem himself — at least not yet. “Not yet,” he said at England’s camp in Kansas City. “I think we are not there yet. At the very end, maybe. I am still a bit shy. I don’t want to offend people.”

When asked whether he had learned the words, the German coach was characteristically dry: “It’s not so difficult.”

Tuchel also reflected on the depth of his affection for England, tracing it back to his time managing Chelsea. “It just felt so good to be in the country and in the city, and be a part of the Premier League,” he said. “Every day was a gift, almost. It just felt like being in the right place.”

He added that London now feels like home. “I fly home to my home in London and it feels like home when I land in England. It’s an honour for me to be England head coach and nobody wants it more than me.”

The win over Croatia moves England forward in the tournament, with Tuchel’s side having delivered a convincing performance to open their campaign.