05:03 GMT - Friday, 21 March, 2025

England World Cup qualifiers: Thomas Tuchel says England must play with ‘hunger to win’

Home - Sports - England World Cup qualifiers: Thomas Tuchel says England must play with ‘hunger to win’

Share Now:

Posted 14 hours ago by inuno.ai

Category:


Former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel, 51, led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 having twice won Ligue 1 during his two-year spell in charge of Paris St-Germain and lifted the Bundesliga with Bayern.

He has never managed in international football but, on being appointed by the Football Association to replace Southgate in October, was tasked with trying to deliver a first piece of silverware since the 1966 World Cup at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“We want to implement the togetherness and the joy and for everyone to feel safe to express themselves and give their very best,” said Tuchel.

“We want to play with a hunger and a joy to win and not with the fear to lose. Anything can happen in football – we know this – but the focus is on winning [and having] a higher number of touches in the opponent’s box, higher amount of attacks, higher amount of high ball recoveries.”

Tuchel’s more attacking and front-footed style may be a welcome change for those England fans critical of Southgate’s style while his first squad selection appeared indicative of a focus on the next 18 months and winning the World Cup rather than longer-term squad development.

In an interview with ITV Sport, Tuchel said England were missing “the identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of players, the expression of players, the hunger” to win Euro 2024.

On Thursday he said: “I think we need to turn this around. We have so many experienced players, so many players who have won with clubs and I think we have every right to be self-confident.”

Highlighted Articles

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

You may also like

Stay Connected

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.