England coach Tuchel: 'English football DNA' needs changing for major wins

Thomas Tuchel, the coach of England's national football team, has identified a fundamental issue with the team's mindset, suggesting that the "English football DNA" must evolve for them to achieve major tournament success. This comes after a disappointing 2-1 semi-final loss where England conceded a lead.

Tuchel, facing criticism for his tactical substitutions, particularly bringing on a defender after scoring, explained that the team's passive approach after taking the lead was detrimental. He noted a significant drop in possession and a rise in opponent opportunities following their goal, a pattern he aims to correct. "We became too passive within our system of play," Tuchel stated, emphasizing that the plan was to be more active, not to retreat.

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We became too passive within our system of play.

The German coach also pointed to a perceived lack of ingrained ball-possession skills compared to nations like Spain, Argentina, and Brazil. "Maybe we don't have, in our DNA, like the Spanish, Argentinians, or Brazilians, the ability to take the ball and control the game," he remarked. Despite these challenges and past failures in similar situations, Tuchel retains the backing of the English Football Association, having signed a contract through 2028. He remains committed to improving the team and expressed his enjoyment of his role, looking forward to the European Championship.

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Maybe we don't have, in our DNA, like the Spanish, Argentinians, or Brazilians, the ability to take the ball and control the game, which is also a big problem.