Thomas Tuchel's Frustration During National Anthem Moment

Thomas Tuchel cut a frustrated figure after the final whistle, not because of a tactical misstep or a missed chance, but because a moment he had cherished since childhood was, in his eyes, spoiled by a crowd of photographers.

He spoke with a raw honesty rarely heard at this level. This was not about a refereeing decision or a VAR call. This was about the national anthem.

"I have to tell you something. I'm begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem, because I could not see my team," Tuchel said, describing how a bank of cameras blocked his view at the very moment he wanted to look his players in the eye.

As the anthem rang out, he stood behind what he called "a wall of 50 photographers," unable to catch sight of a single member of his side. For a coach who had waited his whole life for this stage, it cut deep.

"It was a very special moment, and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers and I could not see one single player," he said. "It ruined a little bit my experience. It is very emotional. When I was young and when I started coaching, this was too big to dream of this kind of occasion."

The images will go around the world. Tuchel, though, will remember the view that never was.