Tuchel earns first statement win as England boss, as World Cup hopes rise

BELGRADE, Serbia -- England's Thomas Tuchel epoch has yet lifted off. Tuesday's thumping 5-0 win against Serbia whitethorn beryllium the fifth-consecutive competitory triumph of Tuchel's reign, but it is the archetypal that offered signs of genuine progress, suggesting the purpose of winning adjacent summer's World Cup whitethorn beryllium a realistic ambition aft all.

There is, of course, much enactment to do. The hosts showed amazingly small attacking intent and, successful immoderate case, are ranked 32nd successful the FIFA World Rankings.

But this travel to the notoriously hostile Rajko Mitić Stadium present successful Belgrade was a imaginable banana tegument for a hitherto unconvincing England side, which they sidestepped adeptly with an authoritative show that validated Tuchel's prematch assertion that they are so evolving successful the close way.

- Can anyone halt Yamal and Spain marching to World Cup glory?
- 2026 World Cup: Who has qualified, and however the remainder tin marque it
- The transportation obsessions of Madrid, Arsenal, different apical clubs

The eventual situation for Tuchel is to marque England play with a consciousness of intent and authorization erstwhile it matters most. It was conscionable astir the lone happening his predecessor, Gareth Southgate, failed successful arsenic England fell agonisingly abbreviated of their 59-year hold for a large men's trophy.

That situation evidently tin lone beryllium tested adjacent summer, but it indispensable fertile arsenic a important measurement guardant that they produced their champion show nether the 52-year-old successful their toughest fixture to date.

When taking the job, Tuchel suggested Southgate's England lacked a wide individuality contempt reaching the Euro 2024 final. Up until Tuesday, helium had struggled to tackle that problem.

But here, finally, determination were wide signs of England playing with a much dynamic benignant featuring players ne'er capped nether Southgate: Elliot Anderson provided the progressive passing astatine the basal of midfield, Noni Madueke delivered penetration and intent down the flanks, portion Morgan Rogers was astatine the bosom of England's champion football, peculiarly successful the opening 45 minutes. After Saturday's lackluster 2-0 win implicit Andorra, this was an emphatic response.

"It is precisely what we needed," said Tuchel. "I said yesterday that I had a feeling that this juncture would bring retired the champion successful america and I consciousness that I had a point.

"I told the players -- I did not lone archer you -- that we had a superb campy and I emotion what I spot and I consciousness what I consciousness during campy connected a regular basis. We had a spot of a stop-start crippled against Andorra, the effect was not what everyone expected from us. I kept the belief, but astatine immoderate point, you request to beryllium it.

"Also arsenic a player, truthful it is not conscionable words from the manager and they kept connected doing it, they kept connected believing. They felt themselves that this is the tone we request successful campy that volition springiness america the other level of quality. Today I saw a hardworking team. They ne'er stopped pressing, defending, helping each different retired and that's however it should be."

With Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer among those absent done injury, England demonstrated a strength-in-depth and corporate absorption which overwhelmed their hosts erstwhile Read Entire Article