England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes cost of first recreation and prepares to call workforce
England take on Albania at Wembley in Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge. The German coach has been appointed on an 18-month contract through to the 2026 World Cup and England begin that journey as their qualifying campaign gets underway.
Tuchel has wasted no time explaining where England fell short under Gareth Southgate, saying that he felt the team were “afraid” during last summer’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. “I want us to play with excitement and the hunger and desire to win,” Tuchel said. “And the acceptance of failure is part of it, especially in football.”
Tuchel arrives with an impressive CV, that includes winning the Champions League with Chelsea, and made a number of eye-catching calls when naming his first squad, including a recall for former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
Now all eyes are on Tuchel’s first England line-up as the Three Lions look to hit the ground running in their World Cup qualifying group that includes Serbia, Latvia, Andorra and tonight’s opponents Albania.
Follow live updates from Wembley ahead of Tuchel’s first game in charge, below:
Henderson a ‘winner’ says Jordan Pickford
Henderson’s inclusion in Tuchel’s squad for forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia was met with surprise as the 34-year-old has not played for his country since November 2023 and his form for Ajax this season has been criticised.
But Tuchel brought him back for his leadership in the group and Pickford said his former Sunderland team-mate is “great for the dressing room”
Jordan Henderson’s shock recall
When the England squad for this international break was announced there were a couple of surprise inclusions.
The most shocking was the return of Jordan Henderson at 34-years-old.
“He embodies everything,” said Thomas Tuchel when asked about Henderson’s return.
“He’s a serial winner, his personality, character. He is the glue in every team where he played, and he will be the glue that makes things special.
“So, I’m convinced and when the teacher is convinced normally in school the class gets better.
“If the teacher is convinced about the quality of the class, the character of the class, it’s better than the other way around.”
Tuchel to try and find missing piece
Thomas Tuchel is adamant his side can find the missing piece on the road to the 2026 World Cup, hoping to discover excitement for winning rather than the fear of losing.
He explained: “The identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of players, the expresson of players, the hunger [were all missing at Euro 2024].
“They [the players] were more afraid to drop out of the tournament in my observation, than having the excitement and hunger to win it.”
Tuchel explains what England were missing at Euro 2024: ‘They were afraid’
The Three Lions boss is adamant his side can find the missing piece on the road to the 2026 World Cup, hoping to discover “excitement”.
And Tuchel will be able to showcase his vision of England for the first time on Friday when England face Albania, though he remained emphatic when assessing where Gareth Southgate’s side fell short a year ago.
Tuchel on his first match in charge
Naturally much of the build-up to this game has been about Thomas Tuchel as it is his first game in charge of England.
He said: “I just hope so much that they [the fans] can see what I see on a daily basis, and they can transform it into the stadium. What I’ve seen in the last few days is amazing and it’s been a joy to watch and be a part of it.
“It’s amazing to have a full Wembley and I will be a bit nervous but that’s part of it, I’m always a bit nervous before matches so this will not be different. I’m excited and hopefully we can prove the point and take the first step.
“I feel the pressure, but I feel it as a privilege. In my coaching career, I’ve adapted to that and found methods to cope with it.”
Who will start for England tonight?
Marc Guehi is England’s most senior options at centre-back, following injuries to John Stones and Harry Maguire, and he could be partnered by Levi Colwill, or by Dan Burn. Reece James is back in the squad but Kyle Walker could start at right back with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured.
Tuchel will have to decide whether to use Jude Bellingham at No 10 or alongside Declan Rice, with Curtis Jones or Jordan Henderson options to play in a double-pivot and Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers or Eberechi Eze under consideration to play further further forward. Tuchel has described former Liverpool captain Henderson as the “glue” in his squad.
On the wings, Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford will compete for the spot on the left while injuries to Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer should see Phil Foden play off the right, although Jarrod Bowen is an option. Dominic Solanke has been named as Harry Kane’s back-up at striker.
Early England team news
Thomas Tuchel has no time to waste when it comes to shaping his plans for the 2026 World Cup: he has already confirmed that Harry Kane will be his captain and it would be no surprise to see England’s record scorer start alongside Jude Bellingham, with Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford also close to automatic picks.
Tuchel has played with both a back three and back four in his managerial career, but he most recently used a back four at Bayern Munich. There could well be a debutant at left back with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final hero Dan Burn options.
Inside Thomas Tuchel’s grand plan – and the reason England hired him
One of the first things England’s young players noticed was how much Thomas Tuchel likes a laugh. He made them feel at ease. It’s an attitude that comes in handy for a question he was always going to get.
England’s new German manager was naturally asked about 1966, and the manner of the men’s national team’s only ever trophy victory. Did Geoff Hurst’s second goal cross the line?
“There is still debate,” Tuchel chuckles. “I don’t think so but there was no VAR at this time so it stands!”
