Thomas Tuchel has carried one small regret home from England’s World Cup journey in the United States: after the 3-2 last-16 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, he wished he had taken in a piece of the famous turf to preserve the feeling of a defining night.
Key takeaways
- England beat Mexico 3-2 in the World Cup round of 16 at the Azteca Stadium.
- Tuchel said he later regretted not eating some of the pitch grass as a personal keepsake.
- Jordan Henderson suffered a broken wrist during the post-match celebrations, ending his tournament.
- England’s players immediately stopped celebrating and gathered around Henderson after his fall.
- The team’s next Nations League group-stage match is against Spain at Wembley on Saturday, 26 September.
An Azteca night that stayed with Tuchel
Speaking about England’s World Cup campaign after the squad returned from the United States, Tuchel described the Mexico victory as one of the high points of the tournament. Back at the team base in Kansas City, he messaged a friend about the sensation he had felt in Mexico City.
The German coach compared it to Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon ritual, when the Serbian tennis great eats grass from Centre Court after winning the title. Tuchel said he had sent a message saying he regretted not eating grass after the match, so that he could “keep something of it in my body forever”. For him, that was how significant the occasion had been.
The 3-2 result sent England through from the round of 16, but Tuchel’s strongest recollection of the immediate aftermath was not solely the celebration. It was the reaction inside the squad when Henderson was injured.
Henderson fell during the celebrations and fractured his wrist, an injury that ended his World Cup involvement. Tuchel said the rest of the England players abandoned their celebrations within seconds and formed a protective circle around their team-mate.
He called it a revealing image of the group’s bond, saying every player moved to Henderson’s side, shielding him and showing complete empathy at a painful moment. Tuchel considered it a particularly special demonstration of what the tournament meant to the squad and of the support the players gave one another.
From the United States to Wembley
Tuchel believes England made further progress during their time in the United States, despite the difficulty of organising a World Cup campaign across such a vast host country. England played 10 matches there, a total including two pre-tournament friendlies, and finished with eight wins, one draw and one defeat.
The next stage is to keep the project moving, introduce younger players and use the Nations League as the platform for England’s next international cycle. Tuchel said the team had taken another step forward and were already at the required level, while adding that preparations for a European Championship would be more manageable than those for a World Cup in the United States.
England intend to play another 10 matches in building towards their future objectives. Their next appointment comes at Wembley, where Spain will visit on Saturday, 26 September in the Nations League group phase.
Headline: Tuchel recalls Azteca regret after England’s World Cup win over Mexico
SEO title: Thomas Tuchel on England’s Azteca win over Mexico and Nations League plans
SEO description: Thomas Tuchel reflects on England’s 3-2 World Cup victory over Mexico, Jordan Henderson’s injury, and the road towards Spain at Wembley.
