Harry Kane dismisses Thomas Tuchel-Jude Bellingham rift as media attempt to ‘create this division’

Harry Kane doesn’t think there’s anything to the Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham story that the English media spent the weekend running with.

Tuchel was blunt with ITV after England’s 2-1 extra-time win over Norway in Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal, saying he wasn’t happy with the performance “in every sense” despite the result. Bellingham, who scored both England goals, was told about the comments in a separate postgame interview and shot back with “Yeah, well, whatever,” before suggesting Tuchel might not “know what it’s like to play in those kind of conditions” against a Norway side built around Erling Haaland.

Kane addressed the situation in comments to the BBC on Monday — two days ahead of England’s semifinal date with Argentina in Atlanta — and the first extended comments from anyone in the squad since the Norway win.

“Yeah, things just get sometimes made out so much more than what they really are,” he said, arguing that the players themselves came away from the game hearing something entirely different than what got clipped and shared. “Players on the pitch know more than anyone when you’re playing well, when you’re not playing well, that is part and parcel of football. We understand what the boss meant, and the boss has been so complimentary about us as a group, and he’s said as well, from the mentality point of view, which is sometimes the hardest part to get, we’re at the highest, highest level, and we have been for a period of time now.”

Harry Kane has addressed those post-match England interviews from Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham… pic.twitter.com/LUIHK3gbSB

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 13, 2026

Specifically regarding Bellingham’s response, Kane defended his teammate’s right to answer a loaded question in the immediate aftermath of a knockout win. But he also pointed out that Bellingham never actually heard Tuchel’s comments himself — a reporter read them back to him seconds after full time — before he’d had a chance to catch his breath after a chaotic extra-time win, let alone hear the remarks in the context in which they were made.

“It’s hard when you’re playing a game, especially a game like that, and you get asked a question two minutes, five minutes after the final whistle, when he hasn’t really known what the manager’s really said,” Kane said. “What do you want Jude to say, you know what I mean? We’ve just been through a battle. It was really tough out there.”

“It’s easy to try and create this division,” the Bayern Munich footballer continued. “It always seems to be maybe an English mentality, an English thing to do at these major tournaments, but it’s the complete opposite. The group is where we are because of our togetherness, not just the players, but the coach and the staff and everyone who’s involved.”

England face Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday, with Bellingham and Kane tied atop the World Cup Golden Boot race at six goals apiece.