FIFA World Cup™
Nowhere in whole wide world I’d rather be – Tuchel loving England roller coaster
Thomas Tuchel says there is “nowhere else in the whole wide world” he would rather be than leading England into a World Cup semi-final against reigning champions Argentina.
After finding a way to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo and co-hosts Mexico, Jude Bellingham’s brace proved enough to edge past Norway as Saturday’s tense quarter-final victory went to extra time.
England’s reward for the 2-1 victory in the heat and humidity of Miami is a clash with Argentina, who won 3-1 having also needed 120 minutes to overcome 10-man Switzerland in the late kick-off.
A blockbuster semi-final now awaits in Atlanta this Wednesday and boss Tuchel again has to quickly reset as his first international tournament heads into the key final days.
“It’s intense,” Sir Gareth Southgate’s successor said. “I’m enjoying it a lot. I feel very alive in these moments.
“To lead a team out on the field and to be there, and preparation is done and then you go out and then the last two three minutes before a match I feel very alive.
“This is this is where I want to be. I don’t want to be anywhere else in the world in these minutes. And in this very moment, nowhere else in the whole wide world.
“I enjoy it a lot but having a knockout match every three, four days is, yeah, a new level of demand and a new level of emotional roller coaster. I admit that so I need also a bit of time now.
“We will give the players (Sunday) full recovery and starts at the latest in the afternoon our preparation for the match with the staff.”
England flew straight back from Saturday’s clash in Miami to Kansas City, where semi-final opponents Argentina are also based.
Many players, like their manager, looked drained by their exertions at the Hard Rock Stadium but Tuchel says they must raise themselves for what could be two career-defining matches.
“They have to, no doubt about it,” the England boss said.
“The level of training will go down of course. Now it is just about recovery. Everyone is ready to attack the last eight days of the tournament.
“The next three days are crucial, of course, to be ready. We have another flight, but this victory will help a lot, this feeling will help a lot.
“We have a top facility to recover at the highest level and we will be ready.”
There is precious little time to prepare to face Lionel Messi and co at the majestic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Jarell Quansah completes his two-match ban for his sending-off in Mexico.
Reece James’ return on Saturday after three games out with a hamstring injury was a boost, but Declan Rice’s half-time withdrawal was a concern along with the sight of Ezri Konsa in discomfort.
“We had some players struggling in the in the heat,” Tuchel said. “Ezri Konsa was one of them with cramps and the hamstrings.
“Declan, we made a decision in half-time to become more offensive, to have a bit of an offensive shift.”
The England boss continued: “Knowing that Declan struggles after the last three days where he was most of the time in bed, I knew he cannot survive 90 minutes.
“There was a possibility that it goes 120, so I didn’t want to waste another change, so the decision was to take Declan earlier out than he needed to go out, just to save us another change later down the match.”
