Following England's 3-0 victory over Wales in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, England manager Thomas Tuchel voiced his disappointment with the perceived lack of energy from the home crowd, urging fans to provide more vocal support. Tuchel's remarks came despite a dominant first-half performance that saw England score three goals within the first 20 minutes, courtesy of Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka.
Speaking to ITV after the game, Tuchel stated, "We had one-and-a-half training days to prepare against a well-trained team and we did very, very well". He continued, "We had an excellent first half, we were 3-0 up very quickly but it could have been four or five. It was very, very good. Then we couldn't score the fourth one or the fifth one and the stadium was silent". Tuchel emphasized his disappointment, saying, "Silent! We never got any energy back from the fans and I think the players delivered a lot to get more from the fans". He acknowledged the team's effort to maintain momentum, adding, "It was difficult to keep everything going in the second half but we did excellent and deserved to win. A step in the right direction".
Tuchel was directly asked if he expected more from the home fans. He responded emphatically, "Yeah, what more can you give in 20 minutes? Three goals, the way we attacked Wales and didn't let them escape,". He further noted the team's dominance, stating, "Even in their own half, ball win after ball win after ball win. If you then hear for half an hour, just Wales fans, yes it's a bit sad because I think the team deserved big support today".
Tuchel also acknowledged the spirited support from the 7,000 Wales fans who attended the match. He contrasted their enthusiasm with the relative silence from the home supporters, expressing that it was "a bit sad" to only hear the Welsh fans for a significant portion of the game.
Despite his criticism, Tuchel clarified his overall appreciation for English football fans. In a post-match press conference, he stated, "I said when we played in Serbia the support was brilliant...I love English football, I love English fans and the support they give, but I think today the atmosphere did not match the performance on the field". He expressed confidence that England would receive "fantastic support" in future matches, including the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Latvia.
Tuchel's comments sparked discussion about the atmosphere at Wembley and the role of fans in supporting the team. While some observers acknowledged a drop in atmosphere during the second half, others pointed out that the friendly match, combined with England's early dominance, may have contributed to a more subdued atmosphere. Declan Rice, who captained England against Wales, took a measured approach, acknowledging that fans "want to be entertained".
