Thomas Tuchel has insisted that England will go into the 2026 World Cup as “underdogs” and says they have “no chance” of succeeding unless they unite as a team.
England have reached successive European Championship finals but have not gone beyond the semi-finals at a World Cup since winning the competition in 1966.
The Three Lions, who lost against France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, will qualify for next year’s edition in North America if they beat Latvia in Riga on Tuesday.
“We will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time, so we need to arrive as a team otherwise we have no chance,” Tuchel said.
Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England, looks on during a training session at St George’s Park. (Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Speaking about his team selection for the current international break, he added: “We try to collect the guys who in the end have the glue and cohesion to be the best team, because we need to arrive [at the World Cup] with the best team.”
Tuchel took charge of England in January and has won five of his six games, with his sole defeat coming in a friendly against Senegal.
The German has worked with his players across three camps and has just two more before they head off for the World Cup.
He was handed an 18-month contract, with the primary goal of leading England to World Cup glory.
“If you’ve never won Wimbledon, you may be one of the favourites but you are not the favourite,” Tuchel said.
“You can go and if you come close, OK, you are within the pool, but you are not the favourite. It is just how it is.
“There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently.
“It doesn’t mean we have no chance and we know very well. First we will qualify and then we will know exactly why we go there.”
Tuchel will be able to explore the available options when England play Wales in a friendly on Thursday, and then Latvia in a World Cup qualifier on 14 October.
Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, who were regulars under Gareth Southgate, are some of the notable names missing from Tuchel’s latest squad, while Reece James has dropped out with an injury.
Harry Kane will also sit out the friendly with Wales with a foot problem but is expected to return against Latvia.
Former boss Southgate created a tight-knit squad during his tenure and Tuchel wants to ensure that spirit remains.
“Let’s go step by step and it just buys into the other step. We build a team that is ready to go step by step and play as a team, and no-one wants hopefully to play against us,” Tuchel said.
“When I hear people talking about their titles in international football or their missed chances I hear always the same song: we have been a team or we haven’t been a team. It is always the same song in international football.
“I also think it is the same headline in club football, but even more if you stick together 24/7 for a nine-day period, and then as long as possible in America, you have to be a group, you have to be a strong group.”
