Thomas Tuchel has warned his England squad that they may need to win two penalty shoot-outs if they are to lift the World Cup this summer. The England manager has already begun practising spot kicks with the team, preparing them for the high-pressure drama that could decide their fate in the tournament.
Tuchel's backroom staff have analysed statistics and research suggesting that the expanded 48-team tournament, combined with potential weather conditions, could lead to tighter matches and more deadlocks. As a result, the manager believes England could face two shoot-outs if they progress all the way to the final.
England's preparation included a behind-closed-doors practice match against Miami FC on Thursday, which ended with a penalty shoot-out. Tuchel has identified several penalty specialists in his squad, including Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka. He specifically cited Toney's successful penalty against Switzerland in the last Euros and his excellent technique as reasons for his inclusion.
England's historical record in shoot-outs has been mixed, with losses in 1990, 1998, and 2006 before a victory over Colombia in 2018. However, they lost the Euro 2021 final on penalties, and Tuchel is determined to be better prepared this time. He has also noted that only 21 players are likely to get game time, meaning five squad members—likely including two reserve goalkeepers—will be unlucky not to feature.
Tuchel has emphasised the importance of selecting good tourists, such as Jordan Henderson and Dan Burn, for squad morale. England's first World Cup group match is against Croatia next Wednesday, with Jude Bellingham expected to start as the No. 10. Bukayo Saka is hoping to be fit, while Ezri Konsa and John Stones impressed as a central defensive partnership in the warm-up against Costa Rica.
