Chelsea captain Reece James is reportedly on track to return from a significant hamstring injury by early May, handing Thomas Tuchel a major boost ahead of England's World Cup campaign. The versatile defender, who has been sidelined since last month, is making rapid progress in his rehabilitation to alleviate fears that he would miss the remainder of the domestic season.
Jack Wilshere has made a passionate case for Arsenal’s teenage sensation Max Dowman to be included in England’s 2026 World Cup squad, insisting that rivals like Spain would not hesitate to cap such a precocious talent. The former Gunners midfielder, who now manages Luton Town, believes the 16-year-old possesses a level of natural ability that even exceeds his own breakthrough years at the Emirates.
Jermain Defoe experienced a rollercoaster introduction to life in the dugout as his Woking side fought back from two goals down to secure a 3-3 draw against Eastleigh. The former England international saw his managerial debut nearly ruined by a defensive collapse before a spirited late rally saved a point at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.
Former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Mark Crossley has explained penalty-saving secrets to GOAL, revealing how he would go about trying to thwart Bruno Fernandes and Ivan Toney. Water bottles adorned with advice and instructions have become all the rage in modern football, but do they really make much of a difference in a battle of wills from 12 yards?
Uli Hoeness has claimed that Harry Kane could be worth more than Alexander Isak in the open transfer market, with Brad Friedel telling GOAL that the Bayern Munich striker would represent value for money at £500 million ($662m). That tongue-in-cheek assessment has been delivered as questions continue to be asked of how much longer the prolific England captain will spend at the Allianz Arena.
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has addressed the situation surrounding Jude Bellingham’s fitness after the midfielder returned from international duty without playing a single minute for England. Despite being called up by Thomas Tuchel for the recent friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, the 22-year-old was managed cautiously following his recent recovery from a significant hamstring injury.
According to sources familiar with the process, the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly manager has officially entered the race to become the next head coach of the West African powerhouse following the shock dismissal of Otto Addo after a pair of international friendly defeats in their preparations for the quadrennial tournament.
Ex-France manager Raymond Domenech has suggested that England are not "serious" contenders to win the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Tuchel's side have widely been billed as one of the favourites for glory at the tournament in North America, but Domenech does not believe the Three Lions will shake their "loser" image.
Real Madrid are reportedly upset with Thomas Tuchel over his handling of Jude Bellingham during the March international break. Club officials are said to view the midfielder's call-up as "pointless" after Tuchel kept him on the bench in the Three Lions' two friendly fixtures.
A unique quality possessed by Max Dowman has been used as a reason why the 16-year-old Arsenal wonderkid should be included in England’s 2026 World Cup squad. The talented teenager is yet to start a Premier League fixture, but has become that division’s youngest goal-scorer during one of three outings off the bench. Bryan Robson is among those that believe Dowman could be a useful wildcard for England this summer.
Thomas Tuchel has fired a stark warning to Phil Foden regarding his place in the upcoming World Cup squad. The England manager admitted the Manchester City playmaker is far from a guaranteed selection, raising serious concerns over the midfielder's inability to translate his dazzling club form to the international stage following a disappointing pair of Wembley friendlies.
Thomas Tuchel has leaped to the defence of his England side’s perceived over-reliance on Harry Kane, comparing the striker’s impact to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Three Lions fell to a 1-0 friendly defeat against Japan at Wembley on Tuesday, with the captain forced to watch from the sidelines after picking up a minor injury in training.
England's final two games on home soil before the 2026 World Cup were supposed to give Thomas Tuchel's men the perfect send-off for North America. However, instead of being waved off with flowers, the Three Lions left the Wembley pitch to the sound of boos following their 1-0 defeat to Japan on Tuesday, which followed their uninspiring draw against Uruguay four days earlier.
The 12 games of the Thomas Tuchel era have yielded mixed results and performances from England. They remain one of the best sides in international football, even if they haven't played particularly well for extended stretches since the Sir Gareth Southgate era. That said, they are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup for several reasons.
England concluded their March international break on a disappointing note as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Japan at Wembley, with Marc Guehi making a worrying admission about the pressure of playing for the Three Lions after the final whistle. Despite dominating possession, the hosts were undone by a first-half strike from Kaoru Mitoma.
The road to the 2026 World Cup is almost over for England. The next time the Three Lions convene, they will do so for two pre-tournament friendlies in the United States, against Costa Rica and New Zealand, before kicking-off their tournament against Croatia on June 17. They will do so as one of the favourites to go all the way, with the pressure on Thomas Tuchel and his players to finally end 60 years of hurt.
It's never easy with the England men's national team. On paper, they should have enough quality, experience and firepower to blow most sides on this planet to smithereens. Then you sit down, watch them and wonder whether they are actually a team of total strangers assembled purely out of spite to mildly annoy the fans who had hoped so much of them. On the basis of their March friendlies, it would be a fair assumption to make.
Thomas Tuchel has refused to entertain suggestions that the weight of the England shirt is getting to his players following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Japan. The Three Lions were booed off at Wembley after Kaoru Mitoma's first-half strike condemned them to a second underwhelming result in the space of four days.
England
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