Thomas Tuchel warns England there is no 'easy route' to World Cup success | BreakingNews

Thomas Tuchel warned that England face DR Congo with no “easy route” to World Cup success as they prepare for their round-of-32 match in Atlanta on Wednesday. The back-to-back European Championship finalists are widely expected to advance, but Tuchel emphasized that major prizes are not reached without dealing with setbacks. He referenced England’s past humiliation to Iceland a decade ago and said scars from big defeats can strengthen preparation, arguing that elite athletes rarely have never suffered major losses. Tuchel added that his own experience shaped his approach after a penalty shootout he described as a “painful experience” in 2016, when he forgot to prepare for penalties while leading Borussia Dortmund in a final against Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich. He said the outcome prompted a dedicated, structured penalty programme involving identifying the best shooters and training it in advance. The Democratic Republic of Congo are England’s opponents at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.