Thomas Tuchel Reflects on England's Ten-Man World Cup Victory and Unusual Regret
Thomas Tuchel, England's manager, opened up about an unusual regret following the team's remarkable 10-man victory over Mexico in last summer's World Cup knockout stage. The German coach confessed he wished he'd eaten some of the grass from the Estadio Azteca pitch to keep a piece of that unforgettable moment with him forever.
A Unique Memory of a Historic Match
The match ended with England triumphing 3-2 against the tournament co-hosts despite being reduced to ten players. The electric atmosphere in Mexico City left Tuchel completely enchanted. After the final whistle, he sent a message to a friend expressing his feeling: "I regret that I didn’t eat some grass after the match to keep something from this in my body forever. That was the feeling. That was the moment."
Unity Shines Through Injury
The celebration was intense but took a serious turn when Jordan Henderson broke his arm by falling over an advertising board. Speaking to Daniel Sturridge for an official FA interview, Tuchel described how the players immediately rallied around Henderson, halting celebrations to shield and protect him. "Every single player was there stopping the celebrations, building a shield, protecting Jordan - not going nowhere, in full empathy. It was just so special," he said.
Building Bonds and Future Ambitions
The shared experience has forged a strong bond within the squad, which Tuchel feels deeply connected to. He reflected, "It created a huge bond to these players. 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."
Looking ahead to Euro 2028, Tuchel is optimistic. He emphasized the importance of the Nations League as preparation: "We got another step closer and I think we’re there. 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. 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."
Upcoming Fixtures and Squad News
England will soon face a challenging schedule, starting with a home match against world champions Spain in the Nations League. Other fixtures include a tough trip to Croatia and two matches against Czechia, one home and one away. Tuchel is set to announce his squad selection soon as preparations intensify.
Friendlies:
- Mexico vs England: 26 Sept 2026, 13:00
- Colombia vs England: UEFA Nations League A, 26 Sept 2026, 21:45
- England vs Spain: UEFA Nations League A, 26 Sept 2026, 21:45
