Tuchel regrets not eating Azteca turf after win over Mexico — SkimNews
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- Thomas Tuchel told Daniel Sturridge for an FA feature that he texted a friend after the match saying he 'regretted that I didn't eat some grass after the match to keep something from this in my body forever'
- England beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 at the Azteca in July's last-16 tie despite playing much of the second half with 10 men following Jarell Quansah's red card — only the third time Mexico had lost at the stadium in 90 competitive matches
- Jordan Henderson broke his arm falling over an advertising hoarding while celebrating the Azteca win, ending his tournament; Tuchel highlighted how every player instantly built a 'shield' around him in 'full empathy'
- England reached the semi-finals before losing to Argentina, then beat France in the bronze medal match to finish third
- Tuchel described the Azteca game as a campaign highlight and said the World Cup run cemented his bond with the squad — 'it feels like they are my players now' — and 'we're there' on ending the trophy wait
- England face World Cup winners Spain on 26 September in their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League opener, with the 2028 European Championships on Tuchel's radar
Why it matters: Tuchel is publicly anchoring his England project to the Azteca night and the Henderson 'shield' moment as defining identity markers, raising the bar ahead of the 26 September Nations League opener against holders Spain and the 2028 Euros — and his claim that England are 'there' to end a drought dating to 1966 turns every result from September onward into a referendum on that confidence.
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