German coach takes chants on the chin as the Three Lions roar into the World Cup with a 5-0 thumping of Latvia.
England’s travelling supporters had a new target for their signature chants on Monday, and it wasn’t a player on the pitch. Manager Thomas Tuchel found himself in the good-natured crosshairs of the away end, just as his team professionally booked their ticket to next summer’s World Cup.
The 5-0 victory over Latvia, sealed with a first-half double from Harry Kane and further goals from Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, and a Maksims Tonisevs own goal, was a formality. But the real entertainment for the fans came from responding to Tuchel’s recent comments about the atmosphere during Thursday’s friendly win over Wales.
The German coach was serenaded with chants of “we sing when we want” and “are we loud enough for you?” throughout the match.
“I got a bit of stick today, in the first half, pretty much in every song,” Tuchel admitted after the game with a smile. “So fair enough. Well done.”
He took the ribbing in the spirit it was intended, calling the fans “creative” and acknowledging it was a fair response to his earlier critique. “It made me smile and this is how it has to be. It’s British humour and I surely can take it. No harm done.”
Tuchel was quick to pivot to praise, emphasizing the crucial role the supporters play. “They are here and I said the support in Serbia was brilliant, and we are very sure the support in America will be absolutely brilliant. We need it… We want to make them proud, we want to make them happy.”
With qualification secured—making England the first European team to book their spot—the focus now turns to building a team capable of challenging in North America. Tuchel believes his squad is on the right path.
“We had in the group six matches. We won all six matches. We didn’t concede a goal,” he stated. “It’s a very special moment today. I think we stepped up in the last two camps.”
The manager saved his highest praise for captain Harry Kane, whose two goals in Riga extended his phenomenal start to the season to 21 goals in 13 games for club and country. But it was a moment of defensive hustle that truly impressed Tuchel.
“Apart from scoring another two goals, look at the goal in the 85th minute from [Eze],” Tuchel explained. “We have a ball loss and Harry goes all the way back to his own half and puts his head down in another sprint defensively. As a captain, as the No. 9, there’s no real need to do this… But he does it, and that sets the standards.”
That relentless work ethic, from the superstar striker to the entire squad, has England dreaming of a summer to remember. For now, the mission is accomplished, and even the manager’s good-humored taunting is just part of the journey.
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