Thomas Tuchel believes England have every reason to dream of World Cup glory, but the German manager is not ready to place his side among the favourites for the 2026 tournament.
With bookmakers listing England among the leading contenders, expectations are once again building around a team that has reached the latter stages of recent major tournaments. Yet Tuchel feels the country’s 60-year wait for a second World Cup title makes it difficult to justify the favourite tag.
Speaking in Florida ahead of England’s final warm-up match against Costa Rica, Tuchel pointed to the weight of history and the presence of more established winners in the field.
“We’re not the top favourites. We can’t be, because we haven’t won it for so, so many years,” Tuchel said.
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“There are proven winners in the tournament with more success in recent tournaments. So, these are the favourites, and we compete for the trophy.”
To explain his point, Tuchel turned to tennis. He compared England’s World Cup ambitions to a player arriving at Wimbledon without having previously lifted the trophy.
“It’s just like if you go to Wimbledon and you have never won it, you’re not the favourite. But you can win it, of course, and we want to win it,” he said.
“But we know what it takes, and it also takes a calm mindset and focus on our steps.”
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager will be leading a national side at a World Cup for the first time. However, he believes years of navigating Champions League knockout campaigns have given him a clear understanding of tournament football and the importance of focusing only on the next challenge.
Rather than looking ahead to potential semi-finals or finals, Tuchel wants England to concentrate on progressing through the group stage before turning their attention to what comes next.
“It is my opinion and my conviction that once you reach the quarter-finals, you can go all the way,” he said.
“I think it’s important not to try to digest this whole tournament in one piece, and to focus on what we can influence. At the moment, this is prep camp and then we will take care of the group stage.
“Make sure that you go through your group, and don’t get distracted by overthinking.”
England begin their campaign on June 17 in Dallas against Croatia, a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal that ended in disappointment for the Three Lions.
Despite his reluctance to call England favourites, Tuchel insisted there is no shortage of belief within the squad.
“I have belief. We all have belief,” he said.
“We all have a dream, but it comes with responsibility and hard work and commitment and discipline, and sometimes it comes with disappointment and setbacks.
“This is all included, but we dare to dream and it’s important.”
– Ends
