Thomas Tuchel claimed you could bottle up England's mentality and sell it. What you could not sell is their big-game reliability when it matters. The head coach's outspoken interview after the quarter-final win against Norway now looks prophetic following England's desperate late collapse against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, extending the wait for a first men's final since 1966.
The defeat adds to a litany of near misses – successive Euro final losses and the 2018 semi-final – giving weight to the argument that England will always be a "nearly" team. Effort, spirit and the knack of producing big moments are commendable but will only take you so far.
Do England lack all-round quality?
England's World Cup campaign was led by the world-class quality of two outstanding performers: captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Of the Three Lions' 14 goals, they scored 12 between them, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon the only other contributors.
- Harry Kane: 6 goals
- Jude Bellingham: 6 goals
- Marcus Rashford: 1 goal
- Anthony Gordon: 1 goal
Tuchel was hampered by Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka struggling with illness and injuries, while John Stones is 32. Elsewhere, England are solid but lack the class stamped right through the side like finalists Spain or the attacking array of France. They also lack the in-built desire of Argentina, helped along by the enduring genius of Lionel Messi.
It meant their campaign was restricted to living on moments – Kane's late double against DR Congo, Bellingham's two goals against Norway. Tuchel praised mentality but bemoaned a lack of quality that was evident when England needed to control games.
"It's maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or Argentinian or Brazilian DNA to take the ball, control the game and the ball, which is also a big problem," Tuchel said.
For all the experience of Rice and Elliot Anderson in midfield, Tuchel's team lack an ability to dictate tempo against quality sides – a flaw that has resurfaced when they are not expected to win.
The bigger picture
Tuchel will be pilloried for his semi-final decisions, but the issue runs deeper. English football culture, as noted by Barney Ronay in The Guardian, is not set up to win major tournaments. The devastating collapse in Atlanta joins a catalogue of disappointment now stretching 60 years.
As Tuchel himself suggested, moments and mentality can only carry a team so far. Without all-round quality and the ability to control matches, England's wait for silverware will continue.