Thomas Tuchel has labeled England as “underdogs” as they gear up for the upcoming World Cup in North America, highlighting that their success hinges on team unity.
Even though they are viewed as favorites for the tournament, the back-to-back European Championship finalists are adopting a careful stance towards qualification.
With only two training camps remaining before he finalizes his World Cup squad, Tuchel’s decision to exclude several key players from the October friendly against Wales and the qualifier in Latvia has stirred some discussion. Still, the German head coach stresses the importance of creating a cohesive team that can achieve a significant milestone—the first major men’s trophy for England since 1966, under Sir Alf Ramsey.
“In putting this squad together, we concentrated on players who are available and have demonstrated strong performances as a unit, rather than just selecting the most talented individuals,” Tuchel remarked about his squad choices for this month. He reiterated that the aim is to foster a team with strong synergy and camaraderie.
Tuchel also said, “The important point here is that we don’t just gather the best players. We look for people who can bring the essential glue and teamwork needed to be a great team. Our success will rely on showing that we are united.”
He also recognized the history, saying, “We will go into the World Cup as the underdogs, considering our long history without winning championships, and we will compete against teams that have many titles. If we don’t have a strong team structure, our chances of winning is low.”
England has always made it to the quarterfinals in the last four tournaments; still, Tuchel knows they might face challenges as the underdogs. He thinks about how history, weather, and situations can change how people see things.
“If you’ve never won Wimbledon, even if people think you’re a strong competitor, it’s tough to be seen as the top favorite,” the England manager said. “You might get close, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re not the favorite, and that’s just how it is for us.
Look at Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and France—they’ve all won recently. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance. Our main aim is to qualify first, and then we’ll have a better idea of what we want to achieve in the competition.”
An underdog mindset was crucial in helping England reach the World Cup semifinals in 2018 when Gareth Southgate was new as manager. He thinks this attitude can help them again.
“Yes, having a clear role within the team helps us as we prepare,” he stated. “We shouldn’t weigh ourselves down with the expectation of being the favorites, and fearing that anything less than victory would be a disaster. After all, when was the last time we won it? Let’s take it one step at a time—each achievement builds toward the next. We are focused on becoming a cohesive team, and we hope to be a challenging opponent for anyone who faces us.”
Tuchel said that teamwork is important in winning trophies, particularly following former captain Steven Gerrard’s discussion about the challenges faced by the so-called “Golden Generation” of players. He mentioned, “I’ve heard these stories before. It seems to come up again and again. When players reflect on their achievements or missed opportunities in international football, they often come to the same realization: it really depends on how well we work together as a team. This is true in both international competitions and club football, but it really stands out during times when we encounter tough moments.
I think the same goes for club football, but it gets even more important when you stick together for nine days in a row. Also, when you’re in America, it’s really important to work as one team; being a strong group is necessary.
