Thomas Tuchel forces FIFA change after complaint about England World Cup anthem

Thomas Tuchel was unhappy with the scrum of photographers blocking his view during England’s national anthem (Getty)

FIFA has agreed to change where photographers are positioned during national anthems in response to Thomas Tuchel’s complaint this week.

Tuchel was unhappy with the scrum of photographers stood just a few metres away from England’s bench when God Save the King was played before the 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday.

In a video that captured Tuchel’s stand-off with photographers, the German was heard saying: ‘Very close guys, you’re very close. You’re very close I cannot see anything.’

Speaking after England’s victory, Tuchel then called on FIFA to make a change to benefit coaching staff at the World Cup.

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‘I have to tell you something, I am begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem because I could not see my team in the national anthem,’ Tuchel said.

Thomas Tuchel called on FIFA to make a change (PA)

‘I was waiting for this moment. It was a very, very special moment today and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a metre away, and I could not see one single player and it ruined a little bit my experience today.

‘It is very emotional. When I was young and when I started coaching, this was too big to dream of to have this kind of career.’

Photographers were positioned to the side during the anthems for Czech Republic and South Africa on Thursday (Shutterstock)

FIFA has now agreed to move photographers in order to allow coaching staff to have a better view of the pitch and the players during the national anthems.

World Cup coaching staff will also be allowed to move from in front of the dugouts for an unobstructed view.

For the Czech Republic’s game against South Africa in Group A on Thursday, photographers were positioned on the corner of the dugouts, allowing the coaching staff to see the pitch.

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