Tuchel urges parents to keep children up for England vs Mexico, but minister pushes back

England manager Thomas Tuchel has urged parents to let their children stay up to watch Monday’s World Cup last-16 clash against Mexico, even if it means writing a school excuse — a suggestion promptly rebuffed by a government minister.

England’s 1am BST kick-off in Mexico City, confirmed after Wednesday’s victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, presents an unusual dilemma for families with school-age children. Tuchel, speaking shortly after that win, made his position clear: “Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch. There will be a big, big match on in four days and we need the support of everyone, and especially of the children.”

Skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith was unconvinced. Speaking on LBC on Thursday, she said: “I don’t want to be a killjoy here, but I’ll tell you what the biggest killjoy is — young people who then don’t have the learning to be able to go on and do what they need to do in life.” Smith added that she planned to watch the match herself, joking she would take “a little disco nap in the afternoon” before arriving at work the next morning “looking obviously as fresh as a daisy.”

Education union leaders struck a more accommodating tone. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, called for a flexible start to Monday morning, saying: “It would be very good if the Secretary of State recognised that it’s an important event in our calendar and allow a flexible start on that Monday morning.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, echoed that view, arguing that school leaders were best placed to make their own calls. “What we would hope is that the Department for Education recognises the need to allow schools flexibility over how they respond to this unique situation and does not score an own goal by rigidly insisting that it must be business as normal,” he said.

The Department for Education had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.