Although he doesn't consider England a World Cup favorite, Tuchel says: "We dare to dream."

In an interview, England manager Thomas Tuchel said he does not believe the Three Lions are the top favorites to win the 2026 World Cup, but also emphasized that it is very important to bravely embrace dreams.

England qualified for the World Cup finals in the European qualifiers with a perfect record, making them one of the favorites to win the title. However, teams like Argentina, Spain, France, and Portugal will also participate in this football extravaganza with great ambition.

In an earlier friendly match, England defeated New Zealand 1-0 thanks to a goal from Harry Kane assisted by Jade Spence. England's next friendly will be against Costa Rica, after which they will embark on their World Cup journey.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said, "How many teams can be considered favorites right now? No, we are not the top favorites. We can't be because we haven't won this competition in many years. There are some proven champions in this competition, they have more success, and those are the favorites."

“We will fight for the championship, and we have big dreams. We know what having big dreams means, and we know that it comes with responsibility. And that responsibility is reflected in the effort we put in, which is exactly what we focus on. We see ourselves as competitors and challengers, and we hope to go all the way to the end, but I don’t think we are the most favored team.”

Speaking about England's achievements under former manager Gareth Southgate, Tuchel said, "These achievements are certainly very important. If you can reach the European Championship final, and the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals, it shows that the team has the ability to win the title and has the opportunity to win it. Sometimes it just takes a bit of luck, or other factors. I firmly believe that we have that ability, but I also think that, historically speaking, we are not the favorites to win the title."

"Perhaps this analogy isn't entirely accurate. If you look at Wimbledon, a player who has never won, or whose last title was 60 years ago, might not be considered a favorite. But of course, that player still has a chance to win. We also want to win the World Cup, but we know what that requires. It requires staying calm and focusing on each step at hand."

Furthermore, Tuchel stated, "If we want to reach the summit, we must begin this journey step by step, moving from one campsite to the next. Otherwise, we will be distracted by other things. I am confident, we all are confident, and we all have dreams."

"However, dreams also come with responsibility, hard work, dedication, and discipline, and sometimes with disappointment and setbacks. These are all unavoidable parts of pursuing dreams. But it is very important that we dare to have dreams."

Image source: Internet