New boss Thomas Tuchel says Gareth Southgate's England were 'more afraid' of failure than hungry to succeed at Euro 2024
Updated 21/03/2025 at 11:09 GMT
England will get their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign underway against Albania at Wembley on Friday night. Ahead of the clash, new England manager Thomas Tuchel accused the Three Lions of being afraid of failure at Euro 2024. England missed out on their first major tournament triumph since 1966, after falling to a 2-1 defeat against Spain in the final.
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Thomas Tuchel believes that England suffered from a fear of defeat during Euro 2024, and instead wants his side to play with a hunger and desire to win.
The Three Lions will get their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign underway against Albania at Wembley on Friday, before facing Group K rivals Latvia on Monday.
England's performances were criticised throughout Euro 2024 despite just missing out on a first major tournament victory since 1966, following a 2-1 defeat against Spain in the final.
Tuchel admitted that England's players looked more afraid of being eliminated from Euro 2024 than excited or hungry to win it during an interview with ITV.
"Not last summer, no [England did not have a clear playing style]," he said.
"The identity, the clarity, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of player, the expression of player, the hunger [were missing].
"They were more afraid to drop out of the tournament, in my observation, than having the excitement and hunger to win it.
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"Excitement [is the missing piece], excitement, that people feel that that is the team to beat, that they feel that that is the team to beat.
"That we arrive with a group to beat, that we know already when we arrive, once we have qualified and once we arrive that everyone knows this is the team to beat."
Fans and pundits alike accused Gareth Southgate and England of being too defensive in Germany last summer.
However, what they lacked in firepower they made up for in grit, reaching the final with memorable victories over Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Tuchel was asked to clarify his comments in the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash with Albania, but rather than pull back, the German doubled down.
"It was just my feeling, first of all it was my feeling in front of the TV, long before I knew I would be in charge," he said.
"I think it is a pretty clear statement, and I don't know how to put it in other words.
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"I think it has to be the other way around. I want us to play with the hunger and the excitement and the desire to win and the joy to win.
"The acceptance of failure is a part of it, especially in football. We want to implement this togetherness and the joy so everyone feels safe to express themselves and give their very best.
"We will play in a way that is recognisable, we play with a hunger and a joy to win and not with a fear of losing.
"Anything can happen in football, but the focus is on winning, it is on a higher number of touchers in the opponent's box, a higher number of high ball recoveries. This is where the focus is."
Tuchel is not the only member of England's camp that is excited to deploy a more attacking style of play.
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Three Lions captain Harry Kane wants to excite the Wembley crowd on Friday night.
"We spoke a lot about the counter-press when we lose the ball, especially attacking players having the responsibility to try and win it back as quick as we can," Kane added.
"I think we will build up and to try and play out and to try and have a lot of the ball, lot of possession and ultimately to create a lot of chances.
"We have the team to do that, we have a lot of players in good form, we have a lot of young players that bring a lot of energy to the team.
"Tomorrow night it will be down to us to do that - to excite the Wembley crowd."
Gibbs-White, Quansah and Ramsdale out of squad to face Albania
Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarrell Quansah and Aaron Ramsdale have been left out of Tuchel's squad for England's first 2026 World Cup qualifier against Albania.
Liverpool defender Quansah and Southampton goalkeeper Ramsdale were both included in the German's first 26-player squad as Three Lions boss, while Gibbs-White was called up as a later replacement following Cole Palmer's injury.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has been one of the stars of the Premier League season, scoring five goals and registering seven assists for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
England will follow up the clash with Albania at Wembley this evening with their second Group K game against Latvia on Monday.
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