England had a mighty scare against Congo in a World Cup last-32 clash on Wednesday night and needed a Harry Kane brace to rescue them at the end.
Congo were very close to causing a major World Cup upset by knocking England out in Atlanta. However, two goals from captain Kane booked the Three Lions a place in the last 16.
England produced another underwhelming performance at the World Cup and needed individual brilliance from their captain to beat Congo in the first knockout stage.
Thomas Tuchel didn’t look a happy man on the sidelines, and a Leeds United flop came under major scrutiny from the England manager again because of his poor decisions.
The England manager blasts Djed Spence AGAIN
Djed Spence was a controversial selection in the England World Cup squad, and his performances have done little to silence his critics who felt that he didn’t deserve to be at the tournament.
Tuchel was spotted hammering the Tottenham star on the sidelines in the 0-0 draw against Ghana in the group stage, and he came under fire again on Wednesday night.
The England manager was seen hollering at Spence from the sidelines against Congo as he berated the full-back for not throwing the ball forward when he had the chance.
“Play up front!” 😤
Thomas Tuchel was adamant for Djed Spence to play forwards and not backwards pic.twitter.com/h8PHGtIgT9
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 2, 2026
With Reece James out injured, Tuchel has been forced to start Spence. However, his performances are not inspiring confidence at the moment.
The Three Lions boss is clearly not impressed with the full-back’s performances, but his hands are tied as long as James is not fit to play again.
It seems almost certain that Spence will start again on Sunday night when England take on Mexico at the Azteca.
Jayden Bogle or James Justin would have been better options
Djed Spence was part of a Tottenham side that endured another underwhelming Premier League season, spending more time looking over their shoulder than challenging towards the top of the table. He had his moments, but it would be difficult to argue he was among the league’s outstanding full-backs.
Despite that, Spence has quickly established himself in the England set-up and is now playing in the World Cup.
That will inevitably raise a few eyebrows at Leeds United. If Thomas Tuchel wanted attacking full-backs, there is a strong case that both Jayden Bogle and James Justin deserved to be in the conversation.
Bogle was one of Leeds’ standout performers last season, combining defensive reliability with a real threat going forward, while Justin’s versatility would have given England another useful option across the back line.
Both played key roles in a Leeds side that finished above Tottenham, and based purely on last season’s performances, neither looked inferior to Spence in an attacking sense.
It also highlights a broader issue in international selection. Players at clubs outside the Premier League’s traditional elite often seem to have to do more to earn recognition.
Whether it’s perception or profile, wearing the shirt of a club like Leeds rarely appears to carry the same weight as representing one of England’s established heavyweight sides, even when the performances on the pitch suggest otherwise.
