Harry Kane reacts to his missed chance against Ghana

England's goalless draw with Ghana isn't a cause for World Cup panic

Football
Wed June 24, 2026 · 14h ago

As the seconds ebbed away, as the England players drooped to a standstill, as the universe itself seemed to accept inevitable entropy and the certainty of death, the pain was mixed with a tinge of warm, familiar nostalgia.

Ah, this is England. Cold, bewildered, repetitive; a hum of existential dread. Or, as Jude Bellingham put it to the BBC after the game: “like always, second game fever, isn’t it?”

For those fearing the Gareth Southgate endgame has reared its head again, or that Thomas Tuchel’s England have just proved themselves exactly as flawed and fallible as every other iteration in living memory, let Bellingham’s casual response wash over you.

Within it lies the difference between Tuchel and Southgate, Roy Hodgson, Fabio Capello, Steve McClaren.

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This England have the calm composure of a nation no longer weighed down by the shirt, instead able to ignore the noise and draw upon a deep well of self-confidence; to act like they play for a normal nation, not one prone to absurd bouts of hysteria and self-flagellation.

The secret to that attitude might be having a German manager with a natural distance from England’s most toxic elements, but more likely this is calculated PR for which Tuchel deserves a lot more credit.

The unflappable vibe that emanates from the England manager is infectious, as we saw not only in Bellingham’s comments but from Declan Rice too, who in a one-minute on-field interview with BBC Sport said three times the team will “stay positive”.

“We still have a great chance of topping the group against Panama. Loads of top teams drew the first game, so there’s no need to be negative or downbeat.”

Perhaps that sounds clichéd enough to tumble out of Rice’s mouth no matter who was manager, but the comment about what other nations are doing, and how England can still top the group, is refreshing, as was Tuchel’s softly-spoken assertion that “it is very important that the highs don’t get too high and the lows get not too low.”

As were the half-time comments of assistant manager Anthony Barry, who is already becoming a staple of England’s World Cup and the most significant manifestation of Tuchel’s media savvy.

His forthright criticism against Croatia went viral but his more subtle influence this time – a placid acceptance that Ghana are tough opponents, that the game would always be slow and painful – is arguably more important.

Both of his half-time appearances have eased a similar feeling through the public consciousness: England are in safe hands. After a hopelessly dull 0-0 draw that has no impact on England’s World Cup chances but carries the danger of nationwide frustration, the capacity to soothe a restless fan base is invaluable.

It has successfully papered over cracks, although the cracks are still worth some analysis.

Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon both lacked incision but this was largely a structural issue, with neither player staying wide enough or attempting crosses into the box. Worse, Djed Spence was clearly the wrong choice at left-back and seemed unsure of how to overlap effectively, much to the fury of Tuchel, particularly in the first half.

The combined effect was an England side too narrow to play such a deep and compact defensive shell, meaning that, rather than stretching the Ghana shape or pulling them into uncomfortable positions, Carlos Quieroz’s side could do what Carlos Quieroz sides do, leaving no space at all for Bellingham or Harry Kane.

But the flaws are minor, and the calls for different options unnecessary.

Cole Palmer or Phil Foden would have run into the same problems, while a more expansive tactical setup would have risked leaving England open to counter-attacks, as Barry clearly stated at half-time - “patience” was called for because of Ghana’s “exceptional counter attack options” - and as we saw for ourselves after Eberechi Eze came on for Elliot Anderson.

With two tens on the pitch, suddenly Ghana could break, leading to the collision that should have been a red card for Jordan Pickford, and then to an Ezri Konsa slide tackle that should have been a red card and a penalty.

It could have been much worse, and it could so nearly have been a whole lot better too.

Kane’s chance towards the end was an astonishing miss by his standards, and had he simply controlled his left-footed volley then the nation would have applauded a smart, hard-fought victory.

Had Konsa been punished for his clumsy tackle the nation would have frothed at the mouth.

Those are the fine margins when it comes to England, which is precisely why the vibe and the spin put out by Tuchel and his team is so significant. It will get them through, integrity intact, to the knockout stages when a completely different tournament, tactically and psychologically, will begin.

Until then, kneel at the altar of Anthony Barry - and heed his call for patience.

More World Cup content from Sporting Life

Group previews

Outright previews

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