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Djed Spence and Dan Burn have played key roles in dragging England to the World Cup semi-finals - and proven Thomas Tuchel right along the way.
It’s now six long weeks since Thomas Tuchel named his squad for the 2026 World Cup, and six weeks since the fans and media collectively scratched their heads in response. The story of England’s run to the semi-finals hasn’t only been a tale of Jude Bellingham’s brilliance or Harry Kane’s heroics. It’s also been a story about how Tuchel was right all along.
The head coach may have justifiably described Saturday’s quarter-final win over Norway as “lucky” and “sloppy,” but England’s win wasn’t solely the result of sheer good fortune. The Three Lions needed some generous refereeing decisions and perhaps the aid of an aerial camera cable to make it to full-time, but were excellent in the extra half-hour and ultimately earned their victory – and it was some of the most maligned inclusions in Tuchel’s initial squad that saw England over the line.
Why Spence & Burn have proven Tuchel’s selection policy right
Djed Spence almost scores after closing Ørjan Nyland's clearance downplaceholder image
Djed Spence almost scores after closing Ørjan Nyland's clearance down | Getty Images
Had you taken a straw poll of England’s supporters in the build-up to the tournament, very few would have chosen to take Djed Spence with them to North America – and after an unconvincing outing at right-back against the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of the doubters would have felt justified in doubting him. It turns out that they were wrong.
For the second match in a row, Spence has come off the bench and been superb at left-back. Against Mexico, he brought immense energy to England’s heroic rearguard action and closed down cross after cross. Against Norway, he showed superb judgement against Oscar Bobb’s dancing feet and used his immense pace to shut down several attacks at source – and to surge into the opposing box and win a penalty.
The penalty may have been overturned – the rather harsh result of a change to the rules intended to punish attackers for flicking a foot out as they pass a defender to win a foul – but even without the goal which might have followed or the one which could have resulted from his closing down of Ørjan Nyland’s clearance, Spence’s energy, dynamism and intelligence at the back made a huge difference to England’s ability to get over the line.
Twice in a row, Spence has stood up and been counted. Twice in a row, he has proven that he has a role in England’s squad – it may be from the bench, but that seems to have been a part of Tuchel’s thinking. He didn’t necessarily select the 26 best players, but he did select players he could envision having a role at specific moments in the match. He decided on his potential starters, and then picked the rest of his squad based on which players could make the difference in different tactical situations.
Spence may not have shone as a stand-in at right-back, a position that the coach plainly didn’t envisage playing him in, but he has been outstanding when doing the job that he was actually earmarked for. Bellingham will take the headlines once again for his goals, and deservedly so, but Spence’s contribution wasn’t all that much less important.
The same is true with Dan Burn. Most fans would have taken Harry Maguire instead, but Burn has twice played a key role in the late defence of a lead. He may lack the technical quality or pace to be a serious consideration for a starting role, but when it’s time to defend deep and narrow, nobody deals with high balls into the box better – and nobody is more willing to put his body on the line.
Burn has barely been on the field for more than half an hour at the World Cup, but has arguably been England’s very vibiest player. Whether it’s bellowing in celebration over a stricken Norwegian after clearing his lines with a powerful header in Miami or putting his face in the way of Raúl Jiménez’s overhead kick in the Azteca, Burn has already generated some of the Three Lions’ most memorable moments. His bravery and sheer presence have now carried England over two finishing lines.
Perhaps Maguire would have done the same given the chance. Maybe Lewis Hall would have been just as brilliant at left-back as Spence. But the players who booked a seat on the plane have done precisely what Tuchel has asked of them. It turns out that a Champions League-winning manager might know what he’s on about.
Tuchel’s process makes him a worthy successor to Southgate
Thomas Tuchel is now two wins away from becoming the first foreign manager to win a World Cupplaceholder image
Thomas Tuchel is now two wins away from becoming the first foreign manager to win a World Cup | Getty Images
Of the 26 players in the squad, only five have yet to play a minute: The two back-up goalkeepers, Kobbie Mainoo, Ivan Toney and late call-up Trevoh Chalobah. Of the other 21, perhaps only Jordan Henderson can’t be said to have had the intended effect.
Maybe he would have had some useful role to play against Norway had he not contrived to break his wrist leaping awkwardly over the advertising hoardings as he celebrated the win over Mexico. As it is, a late run-out against Panama stands as his only contribution to the cause, although it may well be that Tuchel took him primarily for his dressing room presence. One can debate the true value of his leadership during training sessions, but given that England have reached the semi-finals it’s hard to argue that his inclusion was a grave error.
The only real debate about Tuchel’s squad selection now is whether he adequately factored the potential impact of injuries in. Had he foreseen Reece James missing several matches with a hamstring issue, perhaps he would have grimaced and taken Trent Alexander-Arnold along for the ride. Had he known that Bukayo Saka would struggle for fitness, maybe he wouldn’t have picked Noni Madueke, presumably chosen to punish high lines or to add pace and energy in the late game, but who has found himself forced into a starting role against the kind of deep-set defences he tends to struggle against.
That’s all quibbling, however. Tuchel has led England into the final four and his selections have been justified. Spence and Burn, eyebrow-raising inclusions few supported, were both colossal against Mexico and Norway and have earned their share of any glory which may follow. Bellingham and Kane may be the stars, but some of the least-appreciated members of their supporting cast have made the difference when it’s mattered most – and Tuchel has proven to be a worthy successor to Gareth Southgate.
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