Thomas Tuchel reflects on his time as Chelsea’s manager, recalling his selection for the German publication Sport Bild’s coach of the season award after guiding the team to Champions League victory in 2020-21. He quips, “Yeah, there was no way out,” with a smile, acknowledging that had Jürgen Klopp won the Charity Shield simultaneously, the award would have gone to him instead.
Tuchel’s humor is evident in his delivery, particularly when imagining Klopp’s potential reaction. However, his journey took a serious turn after he jokingly suggested in an interview with Sport Bild that he would have “Because if Jürgen Klopp won at the same time the Charity Shield they give it to him …” bringing Erling Haaland to Chelsea to team up with Romelu Lukaku. This comment displeased Haaland’s then-club, Borussia Dortmund, prompting Tuchel to apologize, stating, “I always need to apologise,”
Throughout his career, Tuchel has faced challenges linked to Haaland. During his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain in 2019-20, he watched Haaland score both goals in a 2-1 defeat in the Champions League. Although PSG recovered to win the aggregate 3-2, the stakes were higher in 2022-23 when Tuchel managed Bayern Munich and faced Haaland at Manchester City, who prevailed 4-1 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Now, as England prepares to face Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami, Tuchel is acutely aware of Haaland’s formidable presence. The striker has already scored seven goals in four tournament appearances, including two crucial goals in Norway’s historic 2-1 victory over Brazil in the Round of 16, marking their furthest advancement in World Cup history.
Beyond his on-field prowess, Haaland has embraced the tournament experience, enjoying leisure activities such as a shopping excursion in Dallas where he purchased a cowboy hat, boots, and a humorous T-shirt reading, “They don’t get my humour.” His social media posts illustrate a carefree attitude as Norway approaches the match against England, embodying a mentality of having everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Haaland expressed his relaxed approach during a press conference, stating, “Y’all can kiss my Dallas,”
Tuchel, however, counters this narrative. “There are some clear favourites out there and England are one of them,” he asserts. “So I think all of you [in the media] should put every single pressure on the English lads.”
He acknowledges that while Norway may be riding a wave of optimism, England will not succumb to any sense of fear. “But internally they know very well how good they are. They proved it. They eliminated a big, big, big nation [in Brazil] on a big stage. And from there on, there is no such thing any more as favourites. “I understand that it’s a bit of a lighter situation [for Norway] and they can ride this wave. But we’re not thinking in this matter and I don’t feel our players are playing with fear. I don’t feel the weight of the shirt. And now we go. No matter who is on the other side, no matter if we are favourites or not or if the pressure is on.”
Upon arriving in Miami, England faced the challenge of adapting to a new climate, with temperatures expected to reach 34 degrees Celsius at kick-off. Having previously played in air-conditioned venues in Dallas and Atlanta, as well as the rain in Boston, New Jersey, and Mexico City, this match will test their resilience in the heat.
Tuchel remains optimistic about the warm-weather training the players undertook, particularly during their pre-tournament camp in Florida. He notes, “When we stepped out of the plane in Miami, we expected it to feel painful,”
The metaphorical heat is palpable as well. Tuchel is aware that neither he nor the players will take their path to victory for granted, especially with supporters expecting a win based on world rankings and squad valuations. This expectation weighs heavily on England.
Tuchel’s directive is clear: it is time to release the constraints that have hindered the team. He emphasizes the need for liberation after a challenging tournament thus far, echoing the fluidity seen in England’s decisive 5-0 qualification victory over Serbia in Belgrade.
He has devoted considerable thought to the team’s identity, aspiring for England to embody the best traits of the Premier League while candidly recognizing their shortcomings. Nonetheless, he acknowledges the inherent difficulties in establishing the same frameworks that exist in club football, citing the lack of time with the players. “Maybe we are still lucky and we get another dark cloud over the stadium and full rain. But the science says that we banked a lot of heat training. We haven’t lost that.”
“We need to spend more time in the opponent’s half. We struggle too much to overcome a high press of the opponent. We need to be better in the deep buildup, in the high press. More connected. “Our identity is not so obvious from a football point of view in this tournament. We struggle. It’s not a matter of commitment. It’s a matter of … we’re a bit stuck in thinking. We are thinking about the pass and then it is already half a second too late. The gap is not there any more. We are a bit overprotecting, overthinking and we need to get rid of that.” Tuchel asserts. “You can’t avoid focusing [on him], for sure not,”
“There is so much quality in his moments and you have to make decisions. He will always arrive on the second post so the question is when to make contact with him. “Some defenders like to stay zonal and get the earlier jump. Some like to step back and start fighting with him on the ground, physically – but then he pushes you aside and gets a free header. If you stay zonal he jumps over you. He has all the weapons.”
Ultimately, Tuchel is prepared to secure a win by any means necessary. However, he knows that stopping Haaland is paramount. “You can’t avoid focusing [on him], for sure not,” Tuchel acknowledges. “There is so much quality in his moments and you have to make decisions. He will always arrive on the second post so the question is when to make contact with him.”
“Some defenders like to stay zonal and get the earlier jump. Some like to step back and start fighting with him on the ground, physically – but then he pushes you aside and gets a free header. If you stay zonal he jumps over you. He has all the weapons.”
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