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England coach German Thomas Tuchel revealed the secret of inviting Saudi Al-Ahly star Ivan Toni to the “Three Lions” list for the 2026 World Cup.
Tuchel had released an England list that saw a few surprises, most notably the exclusion of a particular group of players led by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
“From the first days, Toni made a strong impression on me and even when I spoke to his former coach Matthias Geisel, the whole conversation was about the personality of a player who knows how to deal with details in the penalty area,” said Tuchel.
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He added: “He is the type of striker who can give the team different attacking solutions, especially in difficult matches where the player has to decide half chances, because he has a very different feeling for the goal.”
He continued. “His presence alongside Harry Kane gives us greater versatility as he constantly occupies defenders and creates space for his team-mates, in addition to his great physicality and clever movement inside the box.”
Tuchel noted that Toni has many qualities that make him an important element in the team, explaining: “He is very strong in the air and has a lot of confidence in the penalty shootout, as well as his personality on the pitch, all of which played an important role in the decision to select him.”
It is noteworthy that Toni spent a great season in Al-Ahli, during which he scored 42 goals and 10 assists in 48 games in various local and continental competitions.
