Football Daily - World Cup: Harry Kane on Tuchel's comments, Bellingham & Argentina

Episode Date: July 14, 2026

England captain Harry Kane speaks to BBC Sport ahead of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina. He talks about the comments made by manager Thomas Tuchel after the quarter-final win against Norway, Jude Bellingham's response, his partnership with Bellingham and whether England can rewrite history and beat Argentina to reach the World Cup final. 0’25 - How he feels about being one game away from World Cup Final 0’52 - How does he assess England’s tournament so far? 1’45 - How were Tuchel’s comments post Norway received in the dressing room? 2’57 - Jude Bellingham’s response to Tuchel’s comments 5’00 - His partnership with Jude Bellingham 7’13 - What is Bellingham’s best position? 8’00 - Why he’s scored so many goals this season 10’41 - Can England rewrite history?

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2.50. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. People World Cup 2026. Kelly Summers on the Football Daily Podcasts. Listen on BBC Sounds. Well, Harry, 60 years on from the last time England we're in a World Cup final, you're just one match away from captaining England to another. In one word, how does that feel? Exciting. Yeah, to have that opportunity to you know, have the moment to try and get us to a World Cup final is extremely rare. And yeah, I think it's the most exciting part of the tournament.

You know, you deal with so much pressure and commitment over a long period of time. And now it's kind of the final week, the final hurdle. So, yeah, we have to try and enjoy it as much as possible. And yeah, I'm really looking forward to the game. How do you assess England's tournament so far? Outstanding to be in a semi-final of a World Cup. Yeah, no matter how you play or what you can do better. This was the goal two years ago when the boss arrived.

We spoke about climbing the mountain and so much goes into every camp, every time we're together through the qualification into the tournament, the group stage, knockouts. And we've done everything right to be here now. And we fully deserve to be in this moment. So like I spoke after the last game, of course we know there's still things we can improve and we can get better. But ultimately, it's about being in this situation, the final four. And yeah, now is that one big push, the final week, two games away from making history.

And that's where our focus is. The manager said after the Norway game that he still felt there was more to come from England in terms of the performance. How were his comments received in the dressing room? Yeah, I think we understand it. I think players on the pitch know more than anyone when you're playing well, when you're not playing well, when you maybe giving away too many sloppy balls or not winning your jewels and defensive actions. But that is part and parcel of football. We understand what the boss meant.

And the boss has been so complimentary about us as a group. And he said as well from the mentality point of view, which is sometimes the hardest part to get, we're at the highest, highest level. and we have been for a period of time now. Again, I think when he sees us train and he sees the freedom, he sees the attacking play in training, of course he wants to see that on the pitch. It's not always possible for many different reasons,

playing against typical opponents, humidity, heat, situations, pressure, you know, there's a lot that goes into all of these games. So yeah, ultimately we try and do our best in every moment. Norway, yeah, there was some things we could have improve but also a lot of great things as well. And yeah, you try and take positives from every little situation and going into this game now, that's what it's all about.

What did you make of Jude's response to the manager's comments? Yeah, look, it's hard. When you're playing a game, especially a game like that, and you get asked a question two minutes after the, five minutes after the final whistle, when he hasn't really known what the managers really said. It's like, what do you want Jude to say? You know what I mean?

Like, we've just been through a battle. It was really tough out there. So yeah, I think it's easy to try and create this division. It always seems to be maybe an English mentality and English thing to do at these major tournaments, but it's the complete opposite. You know, the group is where we are because of our togetherness, not just the players, but the coach and the staff and everyone who's involved. So, yeah, things just get sometimes made out so much more than what they really are.

You know, we're doing incredibly well. The boss knows that, the players know that. So, yeah, our focus is literally on what's the head. and that's a really tough game against a great Argentina side. Is it perhaps also that Thomas is a bit more of a direct manager than maybe England fans have been used to hearing from? Maybe. We're, where's his heart on the sleeve

and I think people appreciate that as well. The honesty, the emotion, the feeling, you get all of that when he talks, you know. It's never stripped. It's never just purely what comes into... Is that what's so special about him in a way? I think so. I think, yeah, that's what makes him who he is. and we've had many occasions, meetings, speeches from him.

We spoke after Croatia, the half-time. I think when it just comes natural, as players, you believe in that. You believe in what he's saying. You believe in his approach. And yeah, he's one of the best managers in the world for a reason. And his character is a big part of that. So you don't ever want to take that away. And yeah, we understand him.

You know, that's what these relationships are for as players and coaches. to over the two years he's been here, to get to know him, know what makes him happy, makes him unhappy, what makes him tick, what makes, what gives him energy, and he finds the same in every player, and that's part and parcel with a relationship. So from that point of view,

it couldn't have gone any better so far. Some people have said that England have an over-reliance on yourself and Jude Bellingham. What do you say to those people? Yeah, that's just football. I don't know what people expect. It's like I said at the start of tournament, people, Argentina, rely on Messi,

France, Leyen, Mbapé, Alise, Spain rely on Yamau maybe. It's like, yeah, it's one of those. We're the guys who people expect to score, and now we score, it's like, oh, they're scoring too much. Maybe other people should score. It doesn't really completely make sense. But yeah, I think throughout a tournament, you need moments, you need match winners, you need heroes.

As much as people will talk about me and Jude, You know, we wouldn't be in this competition still if it wasn't for every single player here. And the saves pickers has made, the blocks, the defense have made, the running, the commitment, you know, the midfielders are doing the wingers, one v1 all the time. You know, it's such a team game. I think it's so easy in these big tournaments to just make it about individuals and make it about one or two players. But without the whole team on the same page, the same togetherness, the same mentality, we wouldn't be where we are now. So, yeah, football is like that.

You know, you score the goals, you get the reward. I know that more and more than anyone, but I also know there's so much more that goes into a game of football than, yeah, just the goal scores. Why does the partnership between the two of you work so well? Yeah, we're just, I think we're both in a good moment. I think physically, mentally, both in good shape. I think there's been a real hunger and desire since we met up in Florida.

Yeah, me personally finishing the season the way I did with a couple hatcheries. The Cup final, I felt I just kept that rolling into this tournament. Jude come in with a real bit between the teams to, I think, prove himself and prove, you know, why he's at Round Madrid, why he is who he is, one of the best players in the world. And you saw that energy early on from him and, yeah, we've kind of just used each other and that energy into the games, into training, around the place. and yeah, we've kind of taken that onto the pitch. Is his best position because we know he can play a number of positions in the 10 just behind you? Is that where you like him the most?

To be honest, I think he's good in any of those positions. I think certain games will dictate a little bit differently. But, yeah, I think he's a great goal scorer. So I think playing as a 10 helps him in that sense of arriving into the box, being higher up, being in dangerous goal scoring areas, kind of like he's two goals in Miami against Norway, you know, almost like striker goals. But also he's so good as an eight, driving with the ball,

defending up and down the pitch. He has that engine of a number eight. So really, I think he's exceptional in both positions. I think the games will kind of dictate what suits him a little bit more. And that's where you rely on the boss and the manager and the coaches to get that right. As for you, over 70 goals this season, Harry, that's 20 more than you scored just the season before.

What has been the secret? Good question. it's hard to really put a finger on. I think, yeah, I guess this year, a lot of things have just come together in the right moment, the right time. I feel physically, mentally fresh, and I think the players I've had around me all season,

both for club and country have helped me kind of perform at this level. And, yeah, it's hard to really know. I dedicate every year to improve. Have you not changed anything? Was there something you did different in preseason, taking my own coaches? I think maybe just, yeah, even more, I think I've been even more conscious on recovery and healthy eating and I think that happens naturally as well as you get a little bit older.

You start to know that every little detail is even more important. So yeah, I'd say probably from the start of the season, just coming off the back of winning the season before and I think it always a little bit like how, how am I going to react to winning my first trophy and if anything, it just gave me more push and more motivation to say, you know, I need to get better here. I need to improve. I need to, there's still areas I can work on. And that's what I kind of done.

And, you know, sometimes you look through history of different teams, different nations and of players who just have a year where kind of everything goes, goes their way. I've still had not everything go my way, obviously, the Champions League and things that could have been better. But for the most part, it's been, it's been really special. And now, you know, I'm in that final week of what's been an amazing season.

I'm kind of just excited to be back out there. and try and have this one big push in these last two games. Let me take you back to Euro 2024. Did you have a bit of a point to prove after that as well? Yeah, maybe. I think everyone knows how much representing England means to me and especially in major tournaments and of course the way that ended and with the disappointment.

Yeah, sometimes losing those big games just gives you more motivation, gives you more of a point to prove. when people maybe start to question you in the national team and yeah if anything that makes me almost a little bit better and almost drives me on yeah like I touched them there I think playing for England is the biggest honour and it's something that you know I want to do for the rest of my life

so yeah in after that tournament that disappointment I think again it just gave me almost another boost to say you know what like you can you can get better you can feel better, you can physically be in better shape. And when I look back over those two years, that's definitely been the case. Argentina next in a World Cup semi-final. You'll know the history.

Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane on the pitch. It's all set up, isn't it? Potentially for England to rewrite the history now. Yeah, we have that opportunity. And it goes back to kind of that exciting feeling. Of course, there will be nerves, there'll be pressure. But ultimately, you know, what a game to be involved in? When you dream of playing for England and as a kid you have all these feelings of maybe being

there one day, this is essentially what you dream of playing one of the biggest nations in a semi-final of a World Cup, trying to be the one to make the different, trying to be the hero in the moment and help the team get over the line, the best players on the biggest stage playing against each other. I think the top four rate nations in the world playing in the the semifinals against each other is exactly what it's all about. So yeah, honestly, I can't wait for the game. I think it's going to be an amazing, an amazing feeling, an amazing occasion. And ultimately just excited to test myself against the very best on the biggest field.

Nice of luck. Thank you. So much sport today and all the goals as they go in up and down the league. This is five life sports. It's all right to the lights and for ten of the floor. To bowl him. It's not to stop out. Everyone is standing around the 18th green.

Overhead kick, Harvey sensational. He serves to the center. Don't do it. Oh, the right head and the former champion is down. It's extraordinary. It's on us knees and kisses the turf. Five live sports.

The home of the world's greatest sporting events. Listen on BBC Sounds. The United States is about to mark its two 150th anniversary. And so on the global story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story,

and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.