Tuchel Vows England Will Improve as Neville, Keane
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- Thomas Tuchel's England beat Panama 2-0 at MetLife Stadium to finish top of Group L at the 2026 World Cup, setting up a last-32 tie against DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday.
- Tuchel made five changes for the Panama match, handing Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Nico O'Reilly, Morgan Rogers, and Jarell Quansah their first starts of the tournament.
- Tuchel insisted the knockouts are when England will step up, telling reporters: "The bigger the games get the bigger we'll be," after a sluggish first half.
- Gary Neville said England "must improve," specifically calling for Declan Rice's return and a more solid back four ahead of elite knockout opposition.
- Roy Keane was blunt: "I still don't think Tuchel has a clue what his best XI is," criticizing the extensive chopping and changing.
- Panama registered 13 shots on England's goal and had a José Fajardo strike ruled out by VAR for offside in injury time.
- Micah Richards warned that against elite forwards like Mbappé, Yamal, or Vinícius Jr., the defensive gaps Panama exposed would be punished.
Why it matters: England topped their group but head into the knockouts with two senior pundits publicly questioning Tuchel's team selection and defensive solidity. Panama's 13 shots against a side expected to challenge deep into the tournament signals a vulnerability that elite opposition in the last 32 and beyond will look to exploit.
