“Be Brave Enough to Dream” Thomas Tuchel Lifts England’s World Cup Belief
Thomas Tuchel has told his England squad they must be “brave enough to dream” about winning the 2026 World Cup, insisting his side are stronger now than when he first accepted the job. With the tournament draw in Washington, D.C., approaching, the German coach is signaling that England are no longer just hopeful contenders but genuine believers.
The comments come as England prepares to discover their group-stage opponents on Friday, with FIFA’s new Wimbledon-style seeding system already working in their favor. Under the revised format, England cannot face Spain or Argentina until the semi-finals and would only meet France in the final if all four teams top their groups. For a nation chasing a first World Cup triumph since 1966, that bracket protection feels significant.
Tuchel was appointed in autumn 2024 with a single mandate: deliver a second star on the England shirt. Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the draw, he made it clear his confidence has grown. “Yes, because we have gotten better,” Tuchel said when asked if he believes more now than he did on his first day. “We have to arrive and try to make a special thing happen, but we cannot guarantee it.”
That mixture of boldness and realism runs through Tuchel’s messaging. In a separate ITV Sport interview, he framed the challenge in emotional terms rather than tactical ones. He stressed that fans are not demanding guarantees but commitment and identity from the team. If the players show unity and fight, Tuchel believes the ceiling is unlimited. “If the players bring that, then I think anything is possible,” he said. “We will be brave enough to dream about it; we will be brave enough to try it.”
England’s optimism is backed by results. An impressive qualifying campaign has strengthened belief inside the camp and among supporters, with Tuchel praised for tightening defensive structure while encouraging quicker transitions in attack. The timing matters. This is England’s first full World Cup cycle under his leadership, and the sense is growing that this squad is maturing at the right moment.
However, Tuchel is also preparing for a very different type of battle at the 2026 finals. The tournament will be staged mainly in the United States, with Canada and Mexico co-hosting, and extreme heat is expected to be a major factor. The England manager has already considered radical solutions to gain an edge.
He revealed to BBC Sport that he may copy a tactic seen at the Club World Cup in the United States, where substitutes stayed in the dressing room to avoid overheating before being introduced late in games. Tuchel admitted he dislikes the idea emotionally because he wants his bench to generate energy from the touchline. But performance, not sentiment, will drive decisions. “If this is what helps us later in the match when they come on, OK, we consider that as a possibility,” he said.
Off the pitch, the draw carries wider implications for the home nations. Scotland have already secured qualification, reaching their first World Cup since 1998 after a crucial victory over Denmark. They sit in pot three and could be drawn against England in the group stage, setting up a potential British derby on the world’s biggest stage.
The Republic of Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are still fighting their way through the play-offs. Wales faces Bosnia-Herzegovina at home, while Northern Ireland travels to Italy. If both win, they will meet in a one-off final for a World Cup place. Ireland must navigate a tougher away route, starting in Czechia before a possible trip to Denmark or North Macedonia.
The 2026 World Cup will also be historic in scale, expanding to 48 teams and introducing a round of 32 for the first time. More matches, more travel, more strain. More opportunity.
For Tuchel and England, the message is simple. They cannot promise glory. They can promise belief. And in a tournament where margins are brutal and moments define legacies, being brave enough to dream might be the most dangerous weapon of all.