England manager Thomas Tuchel has dismissed suggestions that England are favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the team must first prove themselves on football’s biggest stage despite growing expectations surrounding the squad.
Speaking ahead of England’s final warm-up match against Costa Rica in Florida, Tuchel said countries with stronger recent tournament records deserved to be considered the leading contenders for the title.
“We’re not the top favourites. We can’t be, because we haven’t won it for so, so many years,” he said.
The German coach pointed to England’s long wait for a second World Cup crown, with the nation’s only triumph coming in 1966. England begin their campaign on June 17 against Croatia in Dallas in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Tuchel, who is managing at a World Cup for the first time, said knockout football often becomes unpredictable once teams reach the latter stages of the competition.
“It is my opinion and my conviction that once you reach the quarter-finals, you can go all the way,” he said.
He stressed the importance of focusing on immediate objectives rather than looking too far ahead, urging his players to concentrate on progressing through the group stage before thinking about potential title success.
“Make sure that you go through your group, and don’t get distracted by overthinking. Once you are in a quarter-final, then you can go all the way and then the belief will be there, but there has to be a lot of work done.”
Despite downplaying England’s status as favourites, Tuchel said belief within the camp remains strong.
“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.”
Reuters
