England tournament player ratings: Who impressed and who struggled?
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- Jude Bellingham earned England's highest player rating at 8, scoring seven goals to set a new record for an England player at any major tournament, with the piece calling him the squad's "star of the tournament" and "clutch player"
- Thomas Tuchel received a 6, praised for in-game changes against Croatia and Mexico but criticised for not starting Bukayo Saka against Argentina and for a "defensive outlook to see out the semi-final" that backfired
- Anthony Gordon scored in the semi-final against Argentina after a slow tournament start, with the ratings noting he hit "top gear in the knockout rounds" and beat Marcus Rashford for the starting spot
- Bukayo Saka was rated 7 despite fitness issues that limited him for most of the summer, delivering a hat-trick against France in the group stages before the article labelled his omission against Argentina a "huge blunder" by Tuchel
- Harry Kane received a 7 but the piece noted he "completely went missing against Norway and Argentina when it really mattered," raising questions about how long the captain has left on the major international stage
- Declan Rice was rated 7, with the article highlighting England's midfield vulnerability when he came off at half-time against Norway with illness and his standout long-range strike against France
- Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Jarell Quansah and Noni Madueke each received 5s, with Rashford losing his starting spot to Gordon and Watkins getting only seven minutes before the semi-final exit
Why it matters: England finished third — their best World Cup showing since 1966 — yet the ratings expose the same tension: Bellingham's record seven goals and Rice's recovery work masked tactical decisions that cost them against Argentina. Tuchel's mid-table 6, paired with explicit criticism of his Saka call and semi-final approach, leaves the head coach under pressure heading into Euro 2028.
