Thomas Tuchel Reflects on England's Historic Win Over Mexico
Thomas Tuchel still thinks about the grass.
Not the tactics board, not the heat, not even the noise inside Mexico City. The grass. Because after one of England’s greatest away wins – that wild 3-2 World Cup last-16 victory over hosts Mexico with 10 men – the manager walked off the pitch with one regret.
“I texted a friend after the match and I just wrote, I regret that I didn't eat some grass after the match to keep something from this in my body forever,” Tuchel told former England striker Daniel Sturridge in an interview for the Football Association. “That was the feeling. That was the moment.”
A coach who has lived finals, sackings, superclubs and superstars wanted a blade of turf as a souvenir. That’s how deep that night cut.
A night that bound a squad together
England’s World Cup run would end in semi-final heartbreak, but the Mexico tie became the emotional reference point. Ten men, a hostile crowd, the host nation on the ropes – and England finding a way.
“This game had so much of what you could wish for,” Tuchel said. It wasn’t just the drama of the scoreline. It was what happened after the final whistle.
In the chaos of the celebrations, Jordan Henderson tried to vault an advertising hoarding. He landed awkwardly and broke his arm. The mood flipped in an instant.
“If you needed any proof of what it meant to these players and how they were with each other, it was the moment when Jordan fell over and broke his arm,” Tuchel said.
“Within a second, the players were there. Every single player was there stopping the celebrations, building a shield, protecting Jordan – not going nowhere, in full empathy. It was just so special.”
No posing for the cameras. No solo lap of honour. Just a circle of players closing ranks around a team-mate in pain. For Tuchel, that was the real victory.
“It created a huge bond to these players,” he added. “It feels like they are my players now. This is the beauty of it.
“You have success and you have painful moments together, but you have so much time together and then you create a natural bond. So I'm happy to see them. I'm happy to challenge them, happy to push them, and very proud to be a part of that.”
From Mexico to Euro 2028
Tuchel wants that Mexico spirit to carry England through the next cycle. The target is clear: qualify for Euro 2028 and then attack a home tournament that the country will co-host.
Before that comes the grind – and the Nations League offers the next test.
England return later this month with a heavyweight fixture: world champions Spain at home in the Uefa Nations League. After that, they travel to Croatia and face the Czech Republic home and away during the upcoming international break. Tuchel will name his squad on Friday.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “I think we got another step closer and I think we're there.”
He knows preparing for a World Cup in the US is a different challenge. Distances, conditions, logistics. But a European Championship? That feels more controllable.
“It's very difficult to prepare for a World Cup in the US, but I think it's possible to prepare for a Euros and we prepare in Nations League Tier One,” Tuchel said.
The numbers from the US still sting and inspire in equal measure.
“The target is to have another 10 matches. We had 10 matches in the US – eight wins, one draw, one painful loss. That is something to build on.
“We all have the right to hold our heads high and go with courage and positivity into the next challenges. We have four matches in Nations League coming up, and that's where the focus is.”
No grass to eat this time. Just points to take, standards to keep, and a group that already knows what it feels like to walk off a pitch on the other side of the world and wish they could bottle the moment forever.
