Thomas Tuchel declared that England are fully prepared for the World Cup after they cruised to an impressive 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Orlando. The match, which was delayed by an hour due to storms at the Inter&Co Stadium, saw goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, and Ollie Watkins, showcasing England's excellent form in their final warm-up game.
Bellingham Shines in Attacking Role
Jude Bellingham delivered a standout performance, placing him in contention to start against Croatia in Dallas next Wednesday. Playing in the No 10 role ahead of Morgan Rogers, Bellingham combined effectively with Harry Kane, Elliot Anderson, and Declan Rice. Tuchel praised his work rate and quality on the ball, saying, 'I wanted to see Jude in the combination today for the first time with Harry, Elliot, and Declan at the centre of the game. He buys into these ideas and loves to do it.'
Tuchel Demands Intensity
Tuchel expressed satisfaction with the team's response to his demands for increased intensity. 'I wished for that, I demanded that; I said before the match we want to push it to the next level, from intensity, commitment, cohesion, and we did that,' he said. 'We could see the impact of the Arsenal players coming into camp and the adaptation to the heat. The result takes care of itself, but we did it on a high level.'
The head coach also highlighted the importance of team spirit and connection with fans. 'The energy in the stadium was amazing. If we can really play like this and grow into the tournament with this kind of cohesion and brotherhood, we will have an amazing connection with the fans.'
Next Steps for England
England face Miami United in a behind-closed-doors game on Thursday before moving to their tournament base in Kansas City on Saturday. Tuchel noted that the storm delay was beneficial for the team to adapt and see if it affects them. 'The team did a lot to get the energy going. It was good for us to have a bit of a delay so we could adapt to that.'
With the World Cup opener against Croatia approaching, Tuchel is confident that England are in a good place, with key players clicking at the right time.
