No Curse On England Ahead Of World Cup, Thomas Tuchel Affirms Success Of Women's And Under-21 Teams

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Thomas Tuchel is optimistic about England's prospects in the 2026 World Cup. He believes the recent achievements of England's women's and Under-21 teams indicate that there is no curse on his side. The men's team has not secured a major tournament win since their 1966 World Cup victory. They also faced consecutive European Championship final losses in 2021 and 2024 under Gareth Southgate.

England's women's team, the Lionesses, successfully defended their European Championship title in July by defeating Spain on penalties. This victory came shortly after the Under-21s also achieved back-to-back wins at the Euros. These successes suggest a positive trend for English football, according to Tuchel.

Currently, England leads Group K in their World Cup qualifying campaign. They have won all three matches under Tuchel without conceding any goals. Their upcoming fixtures include hosting Andorra on Saturday and traveling to Serbia on Tuesday as they aim to secure a spot in next year's tournament.

When asked if these achievements put additional pressure on the men's team, Tuchel disagreed. "No, not at all. If it is something, then it is a good omen," he stated during a press conference. He praised Sarina Wiegman and Lee Carsley for their extraordinary efforts and successes with back-to-back victories.

Unfortunately, John Stones has withdrawn from the squad due to a muscle injury. "He came with minor muscle issues to camp and didn't progress as we thought," Tuchel explained. Stones left the camp on Friday morning as a precautionary measure, ruling him out of matches against Andorra and Serbia.

The rest of the squad remains fit and ready for selection. "We had 21 players [on Thursday] in training and 21 players [on Friday] in training," Tuchel noted, emphasizing the importance of ensuring everyone is available for Saturday's match.

Historical Performance Against Andorra

England boasts an impressive record against Andorra, having won all seven encounters without conceding a goal. They have only played Luxembourg (nine times) and San Marino (eight times) more frequently while maintaining a perfect winning streak.

The team is currently enjoying a remarkable run of 34 unbeaten matches in World Cup qualifiers (26 wins, eight draws). Their last defeat was a narrow 1-0 loss to Ukraine in October 2009.

Tuchel remains confident that England can emulate the success of their women's and Under-21 teams by winning a trophy soon. "It is possible [to win a trophy with England], there is no curse on English teams," he affirmed.