The Football Association have already decided whether to keep or sack England manager Thomas Tuchel if they lose to Mexico in the World Cup round of 16. After a nervy win over DR Congo, England face the daunting prospect of playing co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca in the early hours of Monday morning. If the game were anywhere else, the Three Lions would be favourites, but Mexico's astonishing home record, plus the difficulties of playing at high altitude, mean El Tri have the advantage. Moreover, Tuchel's team have not been at their best this tournament and were only 15 minutes away from crashing out against minnows DR Congo before being rescued by captain Harry Kane.
Tuchel's contract and performance clauses
The 52-year-old was hired as Sir Gareth Southgate's successor with the sole objective of winning this tournament and, unsurprisingly, speculation over his future is beginning to grow. Shortly before the World Cup, the German extended his contract to cover Euro 2028, which England are co-hosting alongside Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. However, his deal contains performance clauses, allowing the FA to sack him without having to fork out for major compensation should certain objectives not be met. An exit at the round of 16 stage would mark England's worst performance at a major tournament since Roy Hodgson's team were humiliated by Iceland at the European Championships a decade ago.
FA's stance on Tuchel's future
According to The Telegraph, Tuchel would almost certainly have been dismissed had the Three Lions lost against DR Congo, but he should be safe from the sack no matter what happens in Mexico City. The FA will take into account the difficulty of the draw when reviewing the manager's performance at the end of the tournament, whenever that may be, but barring a disastrous result, the plan is to keep him at the helm. Should England upset the co-hosts, their expected path to glory would see them face Brazil, Argentina and France. Defeat to any of them will not change the plan either.
Camp morale and squad issues
The Football Association's decision will also be influenced by the mood in the England camp, which is said to be very positive despite recent performances and Tuchel's demanding style of management. While there has been criticism of the decision not to call up Trent Alexander-Arnold amid a right-back injury crisis, sources inside the camp don't share that opinion and believe the manager has just been unlucky with his squad's fitness. Tuchel, who won the 2021 Champions League with Chelsea, had been linked with a return to club football after the World Cup, but with most high-profile jobs no longer up for grabs, his head is not expected to be turned.
