Thomas Tuchel and his students have qualified for the 2026 World Cup in Europe despite still having a match against Albania tonight. In the hands of the German coach, there is a very large and elite force. This is the result of the fact that Premier League teams are increasingly improving their quality, adding good human resources to the national team. In addition, players playing abroad such as Jude Bellingham (Spain) or Harry Kane (Germany) are still the pillars.
Speaking at a press conference before the recent 2-0 victory over Serbia, Thomas Tuchel said he hoped the players on the bench would feel angry for not being able to start. However, the 52-year-old strategist also emphasized that whether playing as a starting or a reserve, the players play an extremely important role in the 2026 World Cup journey.
Also at this press conference, Tuchel explained that he will not let all the " strongest" players on the field at the same time in the matches. position competition is extremely important for the "Three Lions" to always maintain their strength. In the most recent win over Serbia, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham were all benched. Not to mention Anthony Gordon or Cole Palmer who have to retire due to injury.
"The players can be angry with the coach, but if you look at the World Cup or Champions League champions, the strength from the bench is extremely important. In the final minutes of the nail jobs, the reserve players were always the key to opening everything.
I have practical experience with this in my journey to win the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021. At that time, the players all tried tirelessly, from the starting lineup to the reserves. Even if the players are upset because they are not put on the field, it is normal" - Tuchel shared.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada, so the weather conditions will be extremely harsh, considering the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is understandable. Therefore, when their physical strength is exhausted by the weather, the reserve players of each team will play an even more important role.
"No player feels happy to be on the bench, and they don't need to get used to it. However, this is the only way to make a team stronger," Tuchel stressed.
England head into the 2026 World Cup with a good bag of Gareth Southgate's final years achievements (2 consecutive EURO finals). When signing with the FA to replace Southgate, Tuchel was tasked with winning the 2026 World Cup or else he would have to say goodbye to the "Three Lions".
Patience for the German strategist is too luxurious and in each match, each training session, he knows better than anyone what he needs to do.
