Who is Anthony Barry? England assistant supervisor offers blunt ‘disappointing’ World Cup interview

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England assistant manager Anthony Barry became a viral sensation after delivering a very honest half-time interview during the World Cup match against Mexico

All the information you need to know about England assistant manager Anthony Barry.

• Television moment went viral: During England’s Round of 16 World Cup match against Mexico, Anthony Barry stunned millions of viewers with a very honest half-time interview. The first 45 minutes were a rollercoaster for fans who had stayed up to 2am to watch the action after kick-off was delayed in Mexico City because of bad weather.
• Pinpointing patterns: Rather than repeating football clichés, Barry pointed out key issues, with fellow Liverpudlian Wayne Rooney on punditry duty for the BBC saying that kind of honesty is what you get from a Scouser.
• Speaking to BBC Sport, Anthony Barry said: “No frustration, a full throttle match, every minute feels like the 90th.
• “We prepared the players that up until the first water break, it would be a difficult game, we would have to suffer, Mexico always start fast, we knew 0-0 would be a good result. From there we came into the game, two biggest moments, one of our biggest players scores.
• “It’s disappointing to concede from a set-piece, we would’ve liked to have made it to half-time 2-0. We never, the opponent’s playing well, it’s a good game, we’ve got 45 minutes to go.”
• Low-league roots: Before he became a household name on the touchline, Barry started his football career as a midfielder in English lower leagues. He played for Accrington Stanley, Yeovil Town and Fleetwood Town and has since transitioned into coaching.
• Emerging coaching talent: Upon retirement, he embarked on a coaching career, swiftly establishing a superb reputation throughout Europe. His experience was further enriched by stints as an assistant to the national teams of the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Portugal.
• Tuchel partnership: Barry first teamed up with the current England manager, Tuchel, in 2021. The duo forged an exceptionally strong working bond, prompting Barry to join the German manager at Bayern Munich and now with the national team.
• Tuchel’s full support: Despite the searing assessment raising eyebrows in the media, Tuchel has given his trusted assistant his unwavering backing. The head coach entirely concurred with Barry’s tactical evaluation against Mexico and is more than happy for him to continue expressing his opinions freely.