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“We haven’t won for many years.” Tuchel justifies England’s exclusion from the summit
The coach of the English national team, German Thomas Tuchel, refused. The “Three Lions” are ranked as an extraordinary candidate to win the World Cup title in 2026.Emphasizing that history favors other teams that have been used to podiums in recent years.
And it closes inside England’s last friendly in preparation for the World Cupwhen they face Costa Rica tomorrow, Wednesday, after a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand last Saturday.
England are in Group 12 at the World Cup alongside Croatia and Ghana in addition to Panama.
When asked if England is among the most popular candidates for the tournament, Tuchel answered at a press conference on Tuesday. “How many candidates are there in this tournament? No, we are not the first candidate. We can’t be because we haven’t won the title in many years. There are teams that have proven their worth and achieved greater success in this arena.”
“But we will compete, we have big dreams and we know very well what it takes to achieve our goal. Now it is our responsibility to do our best and that is our current focus. We see ourselves as a competitor and unifier of all. We want to go the furthest point, but I don’t think we are the most popular candidate.”
Regarding the preparation for tomorrow’s friendly match, the German coach expressed his great satisfaction with the physical condition of the team members, saying: “No one needs rest at this moment. All are available to play and this is very good news. After the first game, we did not register any complaints about injuries. Tomorrow we expect a strong physical test in terms of strength, intensity and readiness to play.
In a related context, Tuchel reflected on the job of managing the England national team and the key role played by Arsenal’s star midfielder Declan Rice as the team’s second captain behind Harry Kane.
“We have a management group that includes five or six players who you could describe as captains without badges. But Harry and Declan are the couple who officially wear the badge; Harry Kane is definitely our first captain and Declan is our second captain.
