Thomas Tuchel says that he is “not ready to adapt” England’s playing style at the World Cup despite the heat – as it would “give up” the team’s strengths.
Since starting his job as head coach in January 2025, Tuchel has made a point of saying how much he likes the physicality of English domestic football and that the national side should replicate that style.
The 52-year-old’s squad selections have followed that thinking with an emphasis on physicality and powerful running when he picked his 26-man squad for the tournament.
“They want to be active with the ball,” the German told BBC Sport about his England side before their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday (21:00 BST).
“We have a young group. We have a courageous group. We have a brave group of players.
“So let’s let’s go for it. I mean, no one guarantees you that we win. So we want to at least try it, our style and our belief.”
The temperatures in the USA, Mexico and Canada are extremely high and mandatory hydration breaks have been introduced in all matches, effectively breaking them into quarters.
And speaking at the news conference before the Croatia match, Tuchel said hydration breaks can “change the character of each half”.
He acknowledged the three-minute intervals give coaches chance to “change and reset” during games while delivering “group messages”.
Temperatures in Dallas will be more than 30C by the time England kick off their opening Group L game – but the effects of the heat will be reduced because the Dallas Stadium is one of the air-conditioned indoor venues being used at this World Cup.
And starting the tournament in that stadium has given Tuchel belief that his side can impose their style on Croatia “because we play indoors”.
But the England boss did reference the impact of the heat has had on his players at their Kansas City training base.
“Yesterday, it was very hot even here in training,” Tuchel said.
“And we could feel that it has a more impact than, for example, today. So let’s see.
“I’m just not ready to adapt into a different style of football because of circumstances that we cannot influence. I think we would just give up our strengths.”
