Thomas Tuchel brutally told England 'haven't played anybody' after perfect 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign as Arsenal legend explains what Three Lions must achieve to avoid 'huge disappointment' next summer

Sir Gareth Southgate guided England to a World Cup semi-final and back-to-back European Championship finals before walking away from the most demanding of roles in the summer of 2024. He came as close as anybody to delivering a first major honour for the Three Lions since 1966.

He did, however, ultimately fall short. Ex-Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is now charged with the task of getting England over the trophy-winning line. He oversaw a faultless eight-game run through World Cup qualification - with no goals being conceded along the way.

The question now is: Can England deliver when it matters most? They have an abundance of talent at their disposal - from back to front - including the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. With that in mind, would anything less than global glory in the United States, Canada and Mexico be considered failure?

When that question was put to ex-Arsenal and England left-back Winterburn, he - speaking in association with BetBrain - told GOAL: “I don’t think you could look at it like that. Our history of winning major tournaments, as a nation, is not great. I agree that we have a talented squad, we have some great depth, but we still need to prove ourselves against the real top opposition. The qualifiers that we have just been through - let’s not beat around the bush, we haven’t played anybody. We haven’t been under any pressure. I’d like to see us when we’re against teams like Spain - technically brilliant, keeping the ball, high quality players. How are we going to cope defensively with their movement? How are we then going to break down their structure with our movement of the ball? Will it be quick? Is it too slow?

“It won’t be a failure. A lot of people will be saying there are a lot of teams in tournaments that we should beat and when you get to the knockout stages, that’s when it’s going to be crucial. I think a lot of people will think that if we don’t get to the semi-finals, it would be a huge disappointment.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Getty Images

Tuchel is aware of the pressure that he operates under, with England’s men national team having gone 60 long years without cause for celebration. He has, however, been quick to point out that their recent record suggests that a standing as favourites should not be enjoyed.

The enigmatic German tactician has said: “We will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven't won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time, so we need to arrive as a team otherwise we have no chance.”

“If you've never won Wimbledon, you may be one of the favourites but you are not the favourite. You can go and if you come close, OK, you are within the pool, but you are not the favourite. It is just how it is.

“There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently. It doesn't mean we have no chance and we know very well. First we will qualify and then we will know exactly why we go there.”

England will, whether Tuchel likes it or not, be one of those expected to compete for the ultimate prize at FIFA’s flagship event next summer. They can call upon too many world-class operators not to be considered serious contenders.

The plan will be to establish early momentum, before any long-term targets are set, with the Three Lions set to discover their group stage opponents when the 2026 World Cup draw takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.