Marc Guehi has declared that he is ready to climb the mountain alongside Thomas Tuchel to secure World Cup glory for England. The new England manager delivered a powerful, rousing speech upon his appointment, comparing the quest to add a second star to the shirt with conquering Mount Everest. The Three Lions currently sport one star above their badge, commemorating their 1966 World Cup triumph, and Guehi believes the entire squad has fully embraced Tuchel's philosophy.
Guardiola and Tuchel: A Shared X Factor
Guehi has had the privilege of working under Pep Guardiola for the past six months at Manchester City, and he notes that Tuchel possesses a similar X factor that could propel the team to victory. Speaking about the two managers, Guehi said: "They're very similar as managers, even in their messages, the things they want from the team. You can see it in the meetings, the body language, how excited they get when they're talking about certain aspects of the game. They live it and have a lot of passion."
He added: "Everyone took inspiration and energy from that speech with England because it's nice to have someone who's been there and done it and coming with confidence that we can do it as well. He's right there with us. When you have someone that really spurs you on, you want to do your best."
Learning from Guardiola at Manchester City
Guehi reflected on his time under Guardiola, which saw City win the FA Cup and Carabao Cup before the Catalan announced his departure. Although he regrets not having more time with Guardiola, Guehi values the lessons learned: "I've definitely been challenged, which is really nice. It's always nice to be challenged because it's another hurdle that you can overcome and come out on the other side of it a little bit better. As a player, we'll have to find out! There's still so many things I've got to learn. But it's been super nice being at Man City and learning not just from the manager but from the players around me, the environment, that willing mentality everyone has. I'm really grateful for that."
He continued: "I would have loved to have another few more years with him. With him, I think you never stop learning, never stop growing as a player. He keeps you on your toes every single day. But I'm sure whoever comes in is going to be fantastic and I'm sure I'm going to learn from them as well. He's relentless. He says live your profession and live it to the fullest. When he's said that and he's coming with that passion, you can't not be the same way. It's not possible. He's fantastic."
Team Spirit and Personal Growth
Guehi described the positive atmosphere in the England camp, revealing that he is currently reading Discipline of a Godly Man by R Kent Hughes and watching Man on Fire on Netflix. A deep thinker with a strong faith, he also paid tribute to teammates like John Stones, who has been an influence for both club and country. Guehi fully understands why Stones remains in the squad despite limited playing time at City this season.
"There's no question about his commitment to the squad or to England. It resonates confidence, commitment, what it takes to want to do well for your team, and he puts the team first, making sure he's fit not just for himself. It's for everyone else. It speaks, 'Guys, I'm gonna be here, whether I'm playing or not, it doesn't really matter. As long as I've shown you guys what I've done to get to this point, it's for you guys.' We're talking about someone that has played over 26 games in major competitions for England, something like that. At this stage of your career, you can just lean on experience. He knows his body so well. Like I said, he's such a top professional. Arguably one of the best centre-backs we've ever produced, if I'm being honest."
