'They play with FEAR' - Fabio Capello warns Thomas Tuchel about England's biggest obstacles to World Cup glory

Capello remains one of the few managers to have led England through the intense pressure of a World Cup, and he believes little has changed regarding the team's mental fragility. Reflecting on recent major tournament disappointments, the 79-year-old pointed to the Euro 2020 final against Italy as a prime example of the team retreating into their shells when the stakes are highest.

Capello told The Sun: “You have the best players, the best moments, but when you arrive at the final, they play with fear. I remember the final in Wembley against Italy. They beat England on penalties. After England scored the goal, they stopped playing. The keeper started to play long ball. The players started to lose time. Slowly, they went to shoot at the corner. Walking, not running. I don’t understand why this happened. It is just a big psychological barrier.”

Beyond the mental state of the players, Capello highlighted a recurring physical issue that plagued his own tenure between 2008 and 2012. He argues that the relentless intensity of English domestic football leaves stars running on empty by the time summer tournaments arrive.

“In my opinion, England players arrive tired at the end of the season, because the season is really, really strong," he added. "I said always in September, October, we can play against the best teams in the world without problems. In March, April, we are a little bit tired. In June, we are tired. We are not the same team that you can manage during the season."

Tuchel appears to be listening to these warnings as the German coach has already shown a willingness to experiment with the group dynamic to ensure his primary stars are not overloaded. The Three Lions boss recently confirmed that he would split the group into two separate camps for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, allowing heavily involved players some much-needed rest.

Capello, who managed icons like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, believes the key for Tuchel is finding individuals who can transcend their talent to become vocal motivators. While he singled out Arsenal's Declan Rice as a potential driver for the team, he warned that technical ability alone does not always equate to the leadership required to win a World Cup in North America.

“The most important thing for me is you have to find some leader on the team," Capello added. "They have to drive the other ones on the pitch. As an example, to speak, to motivate the other ones. Because sometimes not the best players are leaders on the pitch. Because some players play alone. The leader is the player that drives the team during the game. I think at this moment, the player of Arsenal, Declan Rice, is one of the players that can help everyone.”