Harry Kane Hits Back at Thomas Tuchel Critics After England Thump Serbia
England’s World Cup qualifying campaign has had its fair share of nervy nights and frustrating debates, but Tuesday evening in Belgrade felt different. The Three Lions silenced doubts with a statement performance, sweeping aside Serbia in a manner that suggested Thomas Tuchel’s vision for this team is finally beginning to take shape. At the heart of it all, as so often, was Harry Kane. And when the dust settled, the England captain delivered a calm but pointed response to the critics who have been circling both him and his manager in recent weeks.
Harry Kane Responds to Tuchel Critics After England Beat Serbia
For Kane, this wasn’t just about scoring another goal in his glittering international career—it was about sending a message.
“There’s been a lot of noise around the outside,” Kane told ITV after the game. “Performing like that, we’ve been happy with what we’ve been doing. It’s not been easy against some of the opposition who sit in a block of 11. We have to break it down, we have to be patient. Even the game a few days ago [against Andorra], even though it was only 2-0, we feel like we did a lot of things well.”
The words were calm, measured, but with an edge. Kane has heard the doubts about Tuchel’s England, the whispers that the team had gone backwards since the change in the dugout, and the outright criticism following a shock defeat to Senegal earlier this year. Tuesday was his way of answering.
“We knew tonight would be a really tough test against better opposition, better players,” Kane added. “But we said we want to show what we can do with the high pressure and make it difficult for them. They played a lot of long balls, we recovered well. With the ball, we were electric in moments and made it really difficult.”
Tuchel’s Best Night in Charge
When Tuchel was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor, the mandate was clear: take England from nearly-men to champions. Southgate had taken the side deep into tournaments but couldn’t quite deliver the ultimate prize. Tuchel, with his reputation as a tactical mastermind and Champions League winner, was supposed to be the man to bridge that final gap.
But the early days weren’t easy. A string of unconvincing displays, capped by that loss to Senegal, made the sceptics louder. Even the win over Andorra last week, a routine 2-0, was met with groans about sluggish build-up play and a lack of spark.
That’s why the trip to Serbia mattered so much. Belgrade is never an easy place to go—hostile atmosphere, streetwise opposition, and a crowd desperate to see England stumble. Instead, Tuchel’s men produced the most complete performance of his tenure. Compact without the ball, quick in transition, and clinical when it mattered. For the first time, the fingerprints of Tuchel’s blueprint were there for everyone to see.
Kane Leads From the Front
It would be easy to take Kane’s brilliance for granted by now, but nights like this remind you why he remains the central pillar of England’s golden generation. The Bayern Munich striker not only scored but also set the tempo for England’s pressing game, occupying defenders and creating space for the likes of Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden to flourish.
At 32, Kane is no longer the young hopeful. He is the seasoned leader, and his willingness to speak up about the “noise” shows just how invested he is in the Tuchel project. For him, silencing the doubters is personal. He knows the clock is ticking on his chance to win a major trophy with England, and he seems determined to drag the team there by force of will if necessary.
England’s Road Ahead
The victory in Serbia means England now boast six wins from six in their World Cup qualifying group—a record that looks impressive on paper, even if the performances haven’t always matched the results. This, though, felt like a turning point.
Tuchel will hope it’s the platform his team needs as they head into the decisive months before the 2026 World Cup. The next fixtures are a friendly against Wales and then a qualifier against Latvia, neither of which carry the glamour of Belgrade, but both of which will test whether England can sustain the momentum.
The challenge now is consistency. England have shown flashes of brilliance under Tuchel but also stretches of lethargy. The Serbia game offered a glimpse of what they can be when everything clicks: aggressive, controlled, and ruthless. That version of England is one the rest of the footballing world would take very seriously.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond the result, this was also about changing the mood around the squad. The criticism after Senegal had been sharp, with pundits questioning Tuchel’s suitability and suggesting the players looked shackled. Tuesday night’s performance and Kane’s words went a long way toward resetting the narrative.
There will still be bumps in the road—this is international football, after all—but England’s captain has made it clear that the group believe in what they’re building. And when Kane speaks, people tend to listen.
Kane, Tuchel, and the Noise
In truth, the “noise” Kane referred to will never completely go away. England is a nation obsessed with football and with judging its heroes. Every draw, every nervy win, every missed chance will be dissected as though it were a national crisis. But what Tuesday showed is that Tuchel and Kane are capable of shutting it out and producing when it matters.
For Kane, it was another night to underline his legacy as England’s greatest-ever striker. For Tuchel, it was a much-needed step forward in a journey that still has a long way to run. And for the fans, it was a reminder that maybe, just maybe, this new chapter could end in glory.
The “noise” will return at the first stumble. It always does. But for now, England can enjoy the silence that only a big win in Belgrade can bring.
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