Despite a "desperately disappointing" end to England's World Cup campaign, former captain Alan Shearer believes manager Thomas Tuchel's time with the team is not over. Shearer, who co-commentated on all of England's matches, highlighted the team's "epic win over Mexico" as a memorable moment and praised the "togetherness or team spirit" displayed, calling it the best team performance he has witnessed from an England side.
Players can be proud of their efforts, Shearer noted, as they navigated numerous difficult situations. He anticipates Tuchel will lead a similar group of players into the upcoming Euro qualifiers, though he expects "three or four changes" to the squad due to a perceived lack of balance. A specific area of concern for Shearer is the center-forward position, with Harry Kane approaching 33 years old and a clear successor not yet emerging.
"Overall, I don't look at the players Tuchel has available and think they are far away from what we will need," Shearer stated. He also dismissed the third-place play-off match as "a nonsense."
England's major tournament conclusion often involves looking back with frustration and forward with hope for improvement. Shearer suggests Tuchel should share this optimism, particularly with Euro 2028 featuring matches on home soil, referencing England's 2021 final appearance in the tournament when they last hosted games. However, he acknowledges that lasting success will only come when the team "finally get over the line."