Thomas Tuchel has won his battle with FIFA over the placement of photographers at the World Cup.
Tuchel complained about being blocked by photographers before the 4-2 victory over Croatia, which prevented him from being able to watch his players sing the national anthem.
FIFA officials subsequently tweaked protocol for Thursday’s games by ensuring that snappers bunch closer together ahead of kick-off, while the two coaching teams moved to the left or the right.
But Tuchel appears to have stood his ground as it was the photographers who had been shifted to the side when the England boss lined up with his coaching staff and substitutes for the anthems ahead of the Group L clash with Ghana in Boston on Tuesday.
There had been concerns the change from FIFA would not appease the German and it seems as though he has emerged victorious in his dispute with the governing body.
Before matches at Wembley, those taking pictures of the national anthems are positioned between the two dugouts, ensuring both sets of coaches have an unobstructed view.
Thomas Tuchel appears to have won his battle with FIFA in a dispute over national anthems
Tuchel was left fuming with a group of photographers at England’s World Cup opener but they appear to have been moved for the Ghana clash
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That was not the case against Croatia in Dallas, which a frustrated Tuchel pointed out after the game. ‘I’m begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers, because I could not see my team [during] the national anthem, and I was waiting for this moment,’ he said.
In a video that captured the stand-off, Tuchel looked furious with the snappers and could be heard to say: ‘Very close guys, you’re very close. You’re very close I cannot see anything.’
The German then gestured with his arms and looked to make his way past them before he stepped back and linked arms with the rest of his staff as ‘God Save the King’ started.
He instead chose to look up at the stadium’s big screen to see his players.
‘It was a very, very special moment today and I was standing in front of 50 photographers half a metre away and I could not see one single player,’ Tuchel added. ‘It ruined a little bit my experience.’
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