England’s street for the World Cup 2026 started with two seamless victories when Thomas Tuchel enjoyed his first taste of international management.
The German was confirmed last October as the successor to Gareth Southgat in October, with the sole intention of leading the three lions to the World Cup in North America. Tuchel’s term of office started on January 1, 2025, and on Friday evening there was a lot of excitement of the new manager against Albania.
Tuchel, a Champions League-drawn trainer who was considered one of the best business areas, spoke quite reasonably about the end of the reign of Southgates and brew what it would take for England to move into a realm that she has withdrawn since 1966.
Here is what we learned from the first two games of the new manager in March.
In truth, these were two games in Wembley that we have seen many times. England was rarely threatened by the opponents and enjoyed the entire territory against a deeply lying defense and was often accused by Lee Dixon to move the ball too slowly.
Her victories over Albania and Latvia were just as routinely as they come, and although these performances were very familiar, there were some things that pointed out Tuchel’s influence.
The willingness of England to trace Albania was remarkable against Albania. Jude Bellingham in particular got out of the depth to penetrate the opponent’s compact block. Bellingham also turned well with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Marcus Rashford, which helped the three lions play in Albania, and it was a combination between the Real Madrid superstar and the debutant Lewis-Skell, which led to the first destination of the Tuchel era.
On Friday evening they played with a remarkable intensity with and without the ball, and there was special encouragement, the way the team had gone to the possession.
In addition, there was a remarkable difference in the way England was set up in his two games. Against Albania, Lewis-Skelly played a more conventional left-back, which made it possible for him to drift inside, but also to achieve the overlap. On Monday evening, the 18-year-old’s inversion to midfield was much clearer. England’s 4-3-3 was a 3-2-5 with the ball, with Lewis-Skelly Declan Rice had a partner in the middle of the park when the three lions had the ball.
Tuchel will continue to be subtly optimized during his entire term, and the willingness of the German to make hobbyists in March.
Harry Maguire and John Stones were two staples of Gareth Southgate -era, but it remains to be seen how big the couple will play under Tuchel.
Maguire has not been in England for some time, but has played excellently at big tournaments under Southgate, while Stones has long been considered the best central defender in the country’s ranks, despite its continuing problems.
Maguire’s absence at Euro 2024 made it possible to come to the fore, and Marc Guehi filled up next to stones. The captain of Crystal Palace was probably England’s best player in the tournament.
Ezri Konsa also impressed his only start and he was the big winner of this break. Aston Villa’s defense lawyer started both games, and although the opponents were modest, he did not make a foot wrong. While Dan Burn and Guehi produced a few breakdowns, Konsa was a quiet presence in England’s backline. He is a brilliant high-line defender who plays with the controlled aggression of the sizes.
Konsa’s stock increases.
Manchester City supporters will tell you that the English team must be built in Phil Foden.
The dazzling playmaker played a key role in several Premier League title winners, but his appearances for the three lions have often left much to be desired.
Southgate did not necessarily build his team around Foden, but he put the city star in a system that disabled the individual and the collective. In the Euro 2024, Foden began in an inside of the left without reliable overlay, which means that it was in an overloaded center. The result was an inlohes, unbalanced chaos.
In 45 hats, Foden has only a few remarkable moments in an English shirt, and the early signs indicate that Bellingham will be the captain under Tuchel. The Madrid star started centrally in both March qualifications, in which he played against Albania, while Foden was brought into an unsuitable broad role.
Tuchel criticized the performances of the broad players on Friday evening, and it was no surprise that Foden was dropped on Monday. He enjoyed an unforgettable cameo against Latvia and had to get used to such short appearances under this manager.
Tuchel took over the job in England to win the 2026 World Cup. It looks like it is the only task of German. No pressure, what?
However, the three lions must enter the tournament – provided that they qualify from a tame group – without much experience with an opponent at the highest level under the new manager.
In a friendly game in a friendly game in the world against 32nd place in the world against 32nd place.
Qualifying groups for big tournaments are rarely loaded with tricky games, but England had to defeat Italy and Ukraine for the qualification for the Euro 2024 and previously benefited from Spain such as Spain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League. However, her descent from League A in 2022 meant that England was exposed to the Lee Carsley -ära – in Greece, Ireland and Finland in the last nations.
Before the World Cup there are two slots in March and June 2026, and the FA has to arrange friendly games against high-ranking opponents in order to give Tuchel’s team the chance to face those they can meet next summer in the crunch time.