Tuchel Hears the Wembley Chants, but World Cup Doubts Linger

Wembley had the feel of a night when the home crowd wanted to celebrate, and supporters made their feelings clear by chanting Thomas Tuchel's name. For a manager who has faced sharp questions since the World Cup, that kind of backing matters, even if it does not fully silence the critics.

The results give him something concrete to point to. England have now won three matches in a row without conceding, a run that speaks to a defence finding its shape under his leadership. With those wins in the bag, a place in the Nations League quarter-finals looks all but guaranteed, a useful step in a competition that offers a chance to build momentum without the pressure of a major tournament.

Harry Kane was the other focal point. He was hailed as England's greatest ever servant, a tribute to a long career spent representing the national team through good times and bad. The praise felt especially fitting on a night when the crowd seemed eager to show appreciation for the players who have carried the side.

Still, the mood in the stands does not erase the questions that followed the World Cup. Tuchel's critics have not gone quiet, and the way he responds to them will shape how this period is remembered. Encouraging Nations League form is a good start, but the real test will be whether England can turn these steady performances into the kind of football that puts doubts to rest for good.