Thomas Tuchel Reflects on England's World Cup Journey and Future Goals

Thomas Tuchel still thinks about that night in Mexico City so vividly he wishes he’d taken a piece of it home in the strangest way possible.

“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,” the England manager told former striker Daniel Sturridge. “That was the feeling. That was the moment.”

It was the 3-2 World Cup last‑16 win over hosts Mexico last summer – 10 men, thin air, huge pressure. One of England’s finest away performances on the biggest stage, even if the campaign later ended in the familiar ache of a semi-final exit. That night, though, belonged to them.

A bond forged in Mexico

Tuchel talks about that game like a turning point, not just in the tournament, but in his relationship with the squad. The chaos of the closing stages, the noise, the celebrations – and then the jolt.

Jordan Henderson, vaulting an advertising hoarding in the wild aftermath, landed awkwardly and broke his arm.

“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 seconds, the mood flipped. No more leaping, no more roaring at the stands. The players sprinted towards Henderson and closed ranks.

“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.”

For Tuchel, that reaction said more than any huddle or slogan ever could. It felt like a team that truly belonged to one another – and, increasingly, to him.

“It created a huge bond to these players,” he said. “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.”

Eyes on Euro 2028

That sense of connection is what Tuchel wants to carry into the next cycle. The target is clear: qualify for Euro 2028 and then attack a home tournament co‑hosted by England with the confidence of a group that has already gone deep at a World Cup.

He believes the World Cup run in the United States – 10 games, eight wins, one draw and that single “painful loss” – has given England a platform.

“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,” he said.

“We all have the right to hold our heads high and go with courage and positivity into the next challenges.”

Tuchel admits preparing for a World Cup in the US brought its own complications. Different conditions, long travel, unfamiliar rhythms. A Euros feels more controllable to him, more manageable in terms of planning and detail.

“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,” he said. “I'm very excited. I think we got another step closer and I think we're there.”

Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic – and a new chapter

The next step comes quickly. England return to action later this month with a Nations League clash at home to world champions Spain, a fixture that will test both their nerve and their evolution under Tuchel.

They then travel to Croatia and face the Czech Republic home and away during the upcoming international break. Four games, all against serious opposition, all in the pressure cooker of Nations League Tier One.

Tuchel will name his squad on Friday. He knows these matches are more than just warm‑ups. They are the bridge between the memories of Mexico and the demands of a home Euros.

“We have four matches in Nations League coming up, and that's where the focus is,” he said.

The grass in Mexico is long gone. The feeling Tuchel wanted to bottle is not.