Alan Shearer has mounted a robust defence of England manager Thomas Tuchel amid criticism over his refusal to sing God Save The King before international fixtures.
The German coach, who became the third foreign manager to lead the Three Lions, remains silent during the national anthem prior to matches.
With the World Cup now just days away and England's opening group fixture against Croatia scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, the issue threatens to resurface as millions of supporters tune in to watch the tournament.
However, the former England striker believes such concerns are entirely misplaced ahead of what promises to be a pivotal summer for English football.
England boss and German coach Thomas Tuchel does not sing the national anthem
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Shearer, speaking as a Betfair ambassador, was characteristically blunt in his assessment of the controversy.
"I mean seriously, who the hell gets offended that a manager from a different nationality doesn't sing at the World Cup?" he asked.
The 52-year-old Tuchel's silence during the anthem should be of no concern to supporters, according to the former striker.
"The one thing that he has to do is go out and win matches, not sing a national anthem," Shearer declared.
"To me that doesn't make any sense. I don't mind at all. Give me a choice him winning the World Cup and not singing the national anthem. I know what I would choose."
Alan Shearer has backed Thomas Tuchel ahead of the World Cup
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Shearer, who netted 30 goals across 63 appearances for his country, expressed full confidence in Tuchel's ability to navigate difficult squad decisions.
The German's credentials speak for themselves, having guided Chelsea to Champions League glory during his time in west London.
Questions already surround who will occupy the number 10 position when England face Croatia in their tournament opener.
"He's single-minded and clearly he's going to leave one or two out that are not going to be happy," Shearer observed.
"He'll have to make one or two big decisions in terms of team selection, which is fine. That won't affect him."
Shearer acknowledged the considerable challenges awaiting Tuchel at the tournament, from varying time zones to different playing conditions.
"There's so many different things that he has to get (his head) around," he noted.
Despite these obstacles, the former Newcastle and Blackburn striker remains optimistic about England's prospects under their German coach.
"I'm pleased that he's our manager going into the tournament and we've got a really, really good squad," Shearer said.
His faith in Tuchel stems from the manager's proven track record of delivering silverware at the highest level.
"Because of that and because of his know-how and experience in winning things, I'm very happy he's the one leading us into a tournament, with a real chance of going deep."