'I demanded that': Tuchel happy as England beat Costa Rica in FIFA WC warm-up
New York, June 11
Thomas Tuchel was pleased with what he saw from his team, as England swept aside Costa Rica in Orlando to take one more step towards the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Although the kick-off in Orlando was delayed for an hour after a torrential storm flooded the pitch, England produced a crisp and aggressive performance, in contrast to Saturday's lackluster outing against New Zealand.
An early goal from Declan Rice set the Three Lions on their way, before a second-half penalty from Anthony Gordon and a late header from Ollie Watkins sealed the victory.
"I wished for that, I demanded that; I said before the match we want to push it to the next level, from intensity, commitment, cohesion, and we did that," said Tuchel as quoted by Xinhua.
"We see the adaptation to the heat, and we see things clicking, but we demanded it today from the players to take the next step, and they did. The result takes care of itself, but we did it on a high level," he added.
Tuchel said earlier that the fact England hasn't won the World Cup since 1966 means it can't be considered one of the favorites for the tournament, but he was positive in his post-game assessment.
"The work rate gives us a good feeling and intensity, and we can impose ourselves on the opponent, and the movement is up front and not running backwards," he said, before singling out Bellingham for praise.
"I wanted to see Jude in the combination today for the first time with Harry [Kane], Elliot [Anderson] and Declan [Rice] at the center of the game. I know what Morgan [Rogers] gives us there; I just saw it so many times. It was the first time for Jude, and he buys into these ideas. He has to, and he loves to do it, and that's part of our game."
England will play a closed-doors friendly against local side Miami United on Thursday before facing Croatia in its first group match on June 17.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see England bouncing back after that dull New Zealand game. But honestly, Tuchel's comment about not being favorites is just mind games. Every team knows England is a powerhouse now.
As a football fan from India, I love how Tuchel is getting the best out of this squad. Declan Rice scoring early is just what they needed. And that heat adaptation? Reminds me of our IPL players dealing with Chepauk humidity. 🏏😄
Happy to see the improvement, but Costa Rica isn't exactly top-tier opposition. Let's see how they perform against Croatia in that crucial group match. That's where the real test begins.
Tuchel tactics are spot on. The way he's integrating Bellingham with Kane and Rice is masterclass. Also, that closed-doors friendly against Miami United is smart - no pressure, just fine-tuning. England look dangerous. 🔥
Tuchel is being too humble. England has the squad depth to beat anyone on their day. The 1966 drought is just a statistic - this team has the quality to end it. Keep the intensity up, and the trophy is coming home.
Good victory, but I feel the
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