Thomas Tuchel said Friday that he does not fear excluding “extraordinary talents” from England’s World Cup squad, emphasizing that his objective is to win the tournament.
The German manager left out several high-profile players for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Harry Maguire, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Luke Shaw were also omitted as Gareth Southgate’s successor unveiled a striking squad selection.
England are considered one of the favourites to lift the trophy, 60 years after securing their only major international title.
Tuchel explained that the overall balance of the squad mattered more than simply choosing star players.
“From day one we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select the best 26 most-talented players,” Tuchel said during a press conference at Wembley.
“Teams win championships, it’s as simple as that.”
The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager acknowledged that some difficult decisions had to be made but stressed he had “no fear” regarding his selections.
“It was a given that from these 55 players (in the provisional squad), we have to leave some extraordinary talents and extraordinary personalities at home,” he said.
The 52-year-old added: “I like these kind of decisions, even if it took us weeks and sometimes months to verify the decisions.
“I think they bring clarity, I think they bring a certain edge in the end that is necessary.”
Tuchel, who was appointed with the mandate to win the World Cup, said he aims to build a “brotherhood” and believes England possess world-class players capable of making the difference.
“The goal is to try to win it and not be shy about it, and then just to respect the game and the opponents and the amount and the obstacles that come with the tournament itself,” he said.
Tuchel also referenced a quote from Rafael Nadal: “‘I’m not a winner, I’m a competitor, I’m a challenger’.”
“That is basically how I arrive in the US for this tournament. I’m hungry, I arrive with hunger, I arrive with excitement, and I arrive as a competitor and as a challenger.
“And I think that is the role for us as a team, that is how I want the team to play, this is how I want the team to develop, and this is why we picked that squad, and that’s why I’m so sure that we picked the right squad.”