England manager Thomas Tuchel has officially ruled out his team's status as favorites for the upcoming World Cup, citing a sixty-year trophy drought since their 1966 victory. Despite bookmakers listing England among the top contenders, Tuchel argues that proven recent winners hold the edge.
Speaking from Florida ahead of England’s final warm-up against Costa Rica, Tuchel compared the situation to a first-time entrant at Wimbledon. "We're not the top favourites. We can't be," he stated. "There are proven winners in the tournament with more success in recent tournaments."
However, the German tactician emphasized that lack of recent silverware does not diminish ambition. He urged his squad to maintain a calm mindset, focusing strictly on advancing through the group stage rather than overthinking the entire tournament. Tuchel believes reaching the quarter-finals is the critical threshold where belief transforms into a viable path to the title.
"Once you reach the quarter-finals, you can go all the way," Tuchel asserted. He highlighted that while dreams require hard work and discipline, they must be accompanied by responsibility. England opens their campaign on June 17 in Dallas against Croatia, replicating their 2018 semi-final matchup.
Tuchel insisted there are no doubts within the camp regarding the squad's potential. "We all have belief. We all have a dream," he said. "It comes with responsibility and hard work... but we dare to dream and it's important."