Tuchel on Three Lions’ ‘bite, hunger and grit’

Thomas Tuchel faced the media on Friday ahead of the Three Lions’ FIFA World Cup 2026 clash with Norway in Miami on Saturday 11 July (10pm BST).

The 52 year old is is hopeful of ending England’s 60-year wait for silverware in the first tournament of his first international job.

England reached the World Cup quarter-final in 2022 and the semi-final in 2018, while the team reached back-to-back European Championship finals under Gareth Southgate.

Tuchel has taken inspiration from the foundations of English football into his new role, as he looks to go one step further with the current crop of Three Lions stars.

‘Mentality, togetherness, competitiveness’

“I’m not sure if I tried to change the identity,” Tuchel explained. “I try to support the players and build a platform for them to show their qualities.

“I think you see, especially in this World Cup, in our World Cup campaign, that we can play front foot football, we can be aggressive, we like to be active.

“And of course, I think that mentality, togetherness, competitiveness, having the bite and the hunger and the grit is a part of English football, it’s a part of the Premier League.

“You cannot count it in passes and in attacks and ball possession, but these things matter in football.

“This team and these players have it to the highest level. That’s basically it.”

Tuchel ‘out of words’ for match-winner Kane

Harry Kane has continued his prolific domestic season with Bayern Munich to net five times in five games for England at the World Cup.

He scored a brace in the Three Lions’ opening win against Croatia, two more in a 2-1 comeback victory over DR Congo, and scored what turned out to be the winner against Mexico from the penalty spot.

“We speak about him every match because he decides all the matches for us,” Tuchel insisted. “I’m running out of words. I’m running out of different ways to describe him.

“He’s our leader, he’s our captain, he leads by example. He’s in the shape of his life and on the highest peak of his career, which helps us a lot.

“He has the mindset of a team player. He’s ready to lead by example and pushes everybody.

“He’s always ready to take responsibility, always ready to perform and help us, so it’s a privilege to have him as captain and a privilege to be his coach.”