It is Bukayo Saka who initiates the attack. Positioned on the right and nearing the halfway line, the England winger pivots swiftly and darts past Josko Gvardiol. Saka’s exceptional ability in tight situations and his precise close control consistently impress.
He sends a pass inward to Morgan Rogers, who is being pursued by Djed Spence on the outside. As Rogers seeks to connect with Spence, Nikola Vlasic intervenes, causing a scramble for the ball. Saka, ever alert, cuts inside and outmaneuvers Josip Sutalo. Sensing the opportunity for a decisive strike, Saka spots Marcus Rashford waiting on the left. With only Josip Stanisic left to defend, Saka passes to Rashford, who composes himself, shifts past Stanisic, and places a low shot into the bottom corner.
This stunning goal secures England a commanding 4-2 lead in the 85th minute. Their World Cup campaign starts with a bang, showcasing an impressive second-half performance that reflects a significant shift in team mentality. Yet, there is an important detail that Thomas Tuchel cannot overlook.
Since taking over, the England manager has focused on fostering a sense of brotherhood among his players; he wants them to set aside their individual club identities for the team’s greater good. Whether asked to contribute for 20 minutes or just 10, Tuchel expects them to give their all. The goal against Croatia exemplified this vision perfectly, as Saka, Rogers, Spence, and Rashford all came off the bench to make an impact.
For Rashford, it must have been difficult to accept Tuchel’s decision to start Anthony Gordon on the left instead of him. Rashford had been energetic in the first half of England’s warm-up match against New Zealand, while Gordon struggled in the latter stages. Tuchel was not entirely satisfied with his first-half lineup, and his criticism of their positional discipline seemed to hint at Rashford’s performance. In the second warm-up match against Costa Rica, Tuchel opted for Gordon, who played 71 minutes and delivered a robust performance.
Though Rashford showed flashes of brilliance when he replaced Gordon, Tuchel felt it necessary to stick with Gordon for the match against Croatia.
In the U.S., Major League Baseball has romanticized the role of the closing pitcher, who enters to secure the victory in the final moments. However, this concept does not translate directly to football. No player aspires to be a ‘closer.’ Still, Tuchel recognizes the critical importance of his substitutes. Can he portray them as the unsung heroes of his squad?
‘We needed this quality [from the substitutes] to bring it over the line,” he said. “I know they are all starters. So it is new for them. But they also know it is a period of time that is so special and they buy into this idea that we do it as a team. This is the only way. “We are so strong from the bench and I was so impressed with everyone against Costa Rica, for example, because they pushed on the buttons and pushed on the gas and kept suffocating the opponent.” Rashford’ he stated. “Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready,”
“I think once we go to the last game of this group [against Panama on Saturday week] he will be ready. He was strong in training on Tuesday in small spaces. It was just a matter of if the game [against Croatia] was open and was up and down.”
Rashford’s goal against Croatia was a standout moment for him; it marked only his second goal in 13 appearances for England under Tuchel. His first was a stoppage-time penalty that secured a 5-0 victory against Serbia in Belgrade last September. With Gordon underwhelming against Croatia, the debate over who should start against Ghana on Tuesday intensifies.
The scenario is different on the opposite flank between Saka and Noni Madueke, influenced by Saka’s ongoing fitness issues. He is still coping with an achilles injury, and Tuchel’s comments suggested that Saka might not be ready to start against Ghana.
“All four of the wingers are competing against each other at the highest level,” he mentioned. “We had some 10 against 10s in training, some finishing patterns, attacking patterns, defensive patterns. Everyone is on but on in such a respectful way that we had some tough decisions to make. “They know we will need them and the time will come when they start. The time will come when they can finish and be decisive from the bench. It is now four more weeks and in four weeks you can swallow it and digest it and buy into it. We selected the group because we were sure that they could do it and they all can.”
Similar to Saka, Madueke tends to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, but unlike Saka, he appears less confident using his right. A notable moment against Costa Rica saw him maneuver around the goalkeeper only to strike the post with his left foot. His body positioning was not ideal.
Against Croatia, Madueke was effective on several occasions, particularly when he delivered a low cross for Jude Bellingham, who unfortunately could not convert. Madueke’s pace poses a significant threat, and his performance against Croatia provided Tuchel with both optimism and considerations for future matches.
“All four of our wingers are competing at the highest level,” Tuchel remarked. “We conducted some 10 against 10 drills in training, focusing on finishing, attacking, and defensive patterns. The competition is fierce yet respectful, leading to some challenging decisions.
“They know we will need them, and the moment will come when they start. The time will come when they can finish and make a difference from the bench. We have four weeks left, and in that time, they can process this experience and fully commit to the team spirit. We selected this group because we are confident they can succeed, and they all can.”
