England manager Thomas Tuchel warns talent won’t guarantee FIFA World Cup squad call-up as players need ‘social skills’

The Three Lions will head to the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.

They have only two friendlies to play – against Uruguay and Japan in March – before Tuchel makes his final squad selections.

Tuchel is no stranger to making bold calls, having left both Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden out of previous squads, and feels England “need to find the right balance” over picking pure talent.

“When I speak to players who have been in World Cups, it has always made the difference when the connection was right, when the communication was right, between the players first of all,” the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss explained.

“So, when the players had the feeling that the right group is in camp, that they knew their role, why they are in camp, what is expected of them, and they had the feeling that the tournament could even go on for another four weeks and they would be happy to be together, then they were successful.

“When they had the feeling after the round of 16 already, ‘Oh, when can we finally go home?’ and the energy was not right and they didn’t make it. This just tells me that we have to get the selection right.

Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham

Image credit: Getty Images

“It will be very important that we don’t select just for talent, but also for what we need from a player.

“What are the social skills of a player? Is he a good team-mate? Can he support if his role is maybe the supporting role? So, this is where the focus is.”

“It is a big tournament regarding distances, the time zones that you travel, the altitude, difference of altitude, difference of weather conditions,” Tuchel added. “It will be very hot.”

England reached the finals of both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 but missed out to Italy and Spain respectively, while they were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the semi-final stage by Croatia.

Tuchel’s sole job is to end England’s 60 years of hurt without a trophy, and they will begin their World Cup bid on June 17 against Croatia.

England’s Group L fixtures will also see them come up against Ghana and Panama.

“We will have a lot of players out there who hopefully play until May for international titles, they will play for national titles and we will demand, the World Cup will demand a lot out of them,” Tuchel added.

“Then we will be hopefully six to eight weeks together if we make it until the very end.

“It will demand a lot of our social skills, how we are together as a group and we need to get the nomination right.

“We need to find the right balance in the team and take it as an opportunity and take it as a dream coming true to be part in a World Cup and to play, hopefully, a major role is nothing else than a dream.”

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