Djed Spence, an England international, said that his teammates are very keen to continue working with "the great coach" Thomas Tuchel after the 2026 World Cup.

England secured third place in the World Cup after overcoming France in a thrilling match that ended 6-4 early Sunday morning.

Tuchel is under contract with the Three Lions until Euro 2028, but he came under pressure after England's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina in the World Cup.

The Tottenham left-back, who was a standout star in England's World Cup campaign, was asked whether the players are keen to continue working with Tuchel and said: "Yes, definitely very keen. He is a great coach and we have built something special."

He added, as reported by English newspaper Metro: "It wasn't what we wanted, but it's steps forward. It's the best result we've achieved since 1966, so it's a step in the right direction, and we hope we can achieve a positive result in the next tournament."

He continued: "I think we have to learn from this tournament. We have learned a lot, performed well, and we just need to build on that in the next tournament we will take part in and in the upcoming matches we will play as a team. We just have to learn from this experience and hope to achieve a positive result."

Spence was asked whether the memorable victory over France was a response to the criticism the coach received since the defeat to Argentina, and while supporting his coach, the Tottenham player dismissed the idea, saying that media and fan opinions have had little impact on the team.

He explained: "No, I don't think we really focus on the outside noise. We just have to focus on ourselves and our own circle and control what we can control."

He noted: "We were disappointed to go out in the semi-finals, but we showed a great mentality today to get the win. All credit to the team."

When asked if he could imagine himself as a star for England in the World Cup, while he was struggling to make a breakthrough in the Premier League just two years ago, he said: "Yes, I can."

He continued: "I always believed in my abilities, and tough moments don't define my destiny. So I worked hard and always believed that I would reach this place."

He concluded: "I can only thank God. It is a great honor to be part of this team."