Thomas Tuchel emphasizes that England’s World Cup success will heavily depend on their substitutes, stressing the importance of a strong team spirit and proactive contributions from players like Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, especially given the challenging conditions expected in North America.
Thomas Tuchel has called for England’s substitutes to embrace a “brotherhood” mentality, insisting that a strong bench, which he reportedly likes to call the “Bomb Squad,” is the absolute key to winning the World Cup.
The head coach’s focus on the entire squad came after England secured a 2-0 victory over Serbia in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley.
The importance of the bench was underlined in the match as star players Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, who started as substitutes, combined effectively.
They came on in the 65th minute and helped set up a goal for fellow replacement Eberechi Eze, securing the second score of the night.
Tuchel views this collective commitment as non-negotiable, stating: “This is not about building a starting XI, it’s about building a team.”
He warned that he “will not tolerate sulking” from disappointed players, instead demanding that any frustration be channeled into pushing the squad forward.
He drew on his previous club success to illustrate his point:
“You can be angry at the coach, you can be angry at the situation, but if you see the nations that win, see the clubs that win the Champions League, then the bench is on their feet.” He recalled his experience with Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League triumph, saying:
“I experienced this once in the amazing run with Chelsea and it was non-stop, everyone was pushing and fighting from the bench…”
Tuchel is convinced this deep squad ethic is necessary, especially given the stifling temperatures expected in the United States, Mexico, and Canada next summer.
When asked if England could win the World Cup without goals from substitutes, he was emphatic: “One hundred per cent.”