Tuchel ahead of Nations League game v Spain

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Tuchel ahead of Nations League game v Spain  14/11/2026  Metropolitano Stadium

Transcript

00:02Am I in the middle?

00:03Yep, that's all.

00:06Translator?

00:07Yes.

00:09Okay, everybody, welcome back to Thomas Tuchel.

00:11Again, two questions per person.

00:13There's plenty of you in here.

00:14We'll get around as many as possible.

00:16Towards the end, we might revert to one, but we'll start with two.

00:18We'll start again in the middle here, please, with Rob Dorsett.

00:24Hey, Thomas.

00:26Hello.

00:28England's last game for four months.

00:29Last game of 2026, and it's against the world champions.

00:33You've called it a final.

00:36It feels like this England team under you has taken some big strides forward

00:39in the Nations League campaign.

00:42How much will this game put that to the test?

00:44Yeah, it is the biggest test in world football for national teams at the moment

00:48because Spain seems unbeatable since they have an incredible run.

00:54It's in itself a powerful nation since many, many years.

00:58In international football, they have a very, very strong identity and a very strong and competitive mentality.

01:09So, they won the last big titles.

01:11They won the European Championship.

01:14They won the World Cup, of course.

01:16We're trying to take it away from them.

01:18We're trying to beat them.

01:20We're up for it.

01:20We think it's two powerful nations.

01:23I think we're in a very good moment to push our limits.

01:27We're in a very good moment to try what so many teams tried.

01:31I think we were very close in Wembley in the first match.

01:36And, yeah, we're up for a spectacular match and we're up for the fight.

01:40We want to win.

01:41That's the target for tomorrow.

01:45Without giving us any specifics, can you talk us through your options defensively

01:49and what you might be thinking defensively and also with regards to the goalkeeper?

01:53It's good news, first of all, because we have everyone back.

01:57As you can say, it's back and available.

01:59Chad Spence is back and available.

02:01So, we have full choice in our back four.

02:04James Trafford will play tomorrow.

02:07We will share the match like we did in the last campaign.

02:11They will share.

02:12We want to see how far Traff is.

02:14We give him the opportunity, which is normally very rare for goalkeepers.

02:18So, we use the Nations League for exactly that, to see him and to trust him in a high-pressure

02:25environment, in a high-pressure match.

02:30And, on top of that, I have full trust in my team.

02:34We had, again, an excellent camp.

02:36I said it today after training.

02:38It was an excellent camp on the pitch, off the pitch.

02:41And we want to bring all this, again, to a difficult stadium against the best team in

02:47the world.

02:47I think we're up for, like I said, we're up for an exciting match.

02:52We're up for a spectacular match.

02:53Both teams want to dominate.

02:55Both teams want to create chances.

02:58So, let's see who will be the lucky one in the end.

03:01Futsal here.

03:03Hi, Thomas.

03:04Spain are the barometer.

03:06But do we almost forget the quality of player that England have got and you have got at your

03:11disposal?

03:12And is it your job to remind the players of that?

03:18I think our players are very well aware.

03:20They play in the strongest leagues.

03:22They play for the best clubs.

03:25We are full of confidence.

03:26We believe in ourselves.

03:28And I think we have taken the next step.

03:30This is, like we always said, this is always the challenge and always the target in high-level

03:36sports.

03:36And especially in football, you can never stand still.

03:39You always need to improve.

03:41You always need to be up and ready to push your limits.

03:43And this is what we did until now in the Nations League.

03:46We got 12 points and we are qualified for the quarter-finals.

03:50And we have a final in the last match where we can win the group and we can see how

03:55far

03:56we can push the limits with the world champions in Madrid.

03:58So that's exactly what we wanted.

04:01I think the players don't need to be reminded.

04:04I think the best situation is if they feel it.

04:07And I think our team feels very strong at the moment.

04:10And that's the foundation to do something spectacular and to do something extraordinary, to have

04:16self-belief.

04:17And the group is full of self-belief and rightly so.

04:21And do you believe in statement victories?

04:26Of course.

04:27Can you explain the dynamic to that?

04:30We tried in the first match, of course.

04:31We were there and ready.

04:32And I think the reaction after a difficult start for us was very good.

04:36And I think we were close.

04:39They stole the win again.

04:42So they are in this incredible run.

04:44But like I said, yeah, of course, there are always milestones in the development of a team.

04:51And I think not to forget having 12 points at this moment of time in Nations League after

04:58a World Cup campaign where we were well-deserved in the best four of the world and won the

05:06bronze medal.

05:07That's exactly what we wanted.

05:09I feel that we took our next step.

05:11And like I said, this is absolutely necessary.

05:14Tomorrow we will have a proof of concept on the highest level.

05:18But we feel ready for it.

05:20James.

05:21Hi, Thomas.

05:22When you came into the job, did you sense there was maybe a psychological, like an inferiority

05:29complex or some kind of mental block with this group against the very best sides?

05:33Was that something that you felt you had to work on?

05:36No, but there was like, of course, the saying of the weight of the shirt.

05:41And we could feel that.

05:43Like we were very open about it.

05:45Like even I think we were already very good and set a new record in the qualifying campaign

05:52for the World Cup.

05:53But within the World Cup, I think there was still a gap to bridge between the quality and

06:01training into a 90 minutes match.

06:05And we are about to do this.

06:06I think the best thing to do is trust our process, trust ourselves and not make it bigger and

06:14not talk about a complex or whatever and not make it bigger than it is.

06:18If you want to beat the biggest nations and on the biggest occasions, then we have to have

06:23the process in place.

06:24We need to be self-confident.

06:26We need to be clear of how we want to play and how we want to impose ourselves.

06:30And I think all this is very, very clear and visible.

06:33And yeah, full credit to the players of how they stepped up during this Nations League campaign.

06:38Like I said, I think we have a very exciting match in a perfect set-up, in an almost perfect

06:46moment of both nations to play against in a beautiful stadium.

06:52So let's see.

06:54You mentioned how close the first game was at Wembley.

06:57What do you need to do differently to win?

07:01Yeah, we had some crucial ball losses in our own half.

07:04I think we need to, we need to, we need to, that was clear that we want to get better

07:09at that and, and we already took the next steps and also there full credit to the players.

07:17So on the ball in our own half, we had some, some ball, some, some ball losses, too many

07:22crucial moments that not only gave big chances away and, and they scored from one very early,

07:30but, but also sometimes breaks your momentum.

07:33It's anyway, and, and the second one is we, we want to get better.

07:37One of the topics where we want to get better is in, in the defending in our own half, in

07:41the, in a set block, in a mid block, in a deep block sometimes, because this is what

07:46happens against teams like, like, especially like Spain.

07:49They have the quality to break your press.

07:52They have the quality to, to, to break your momentum with individual actions.

07:56They have the quality to, to train you on ball possession and, and, and, and get the momentum

08:02back.

08:03So it's a very complex game that you have to play against them.

08:06And we need a very, very complex, we need a very complex performance tomorrow from start

08:13to finish to be able to win.

08:14But again, I think we are there.

08:17Um, if I read, if I read the energy right, if I read the, the, the signals right during

08:23this camp, then we're up for a good match.

08:25Hello, Thomas.

08:27Yeah.

08:29One second.

08:29Yeah.

08:30English, English.

08:31Oh, perfect.

08:33Hello, Thomas.

08:34I would like to ask you, do you think England can win a major tournament?

08:41And on that note, how important is Harry Kane as a Ballon-Door winner to this team?

08:48What was the second one?

08:49Harry Kane as a Ballon-Door winner?

08:51How important.

08:52Who important in your team?

08:54Yeah, yeah.

08:55He's crucial.

08:56He's crucial.

08:56He's not only our, our top scorer and of course now the Ballon-Door winner, but he is like

09:01a, he's a leader, leader by example.

09:04Um, he's a role model and, and just a huge figure to, to rely on huge personality.

09:11And he's a big connector in his game.

09:13Now he connects, he connects the parts of the game and in, in build up and in, of course,

09:21in, in the, in the, in the build up and, and bringing the, the match from, bringing

09:26the game from the own half to the opponent's half with his distribution of, of, of balls.

09:32So he's a key player for us.

09:35There is no doubt.

09:36And, and I can absolutely believe that we can win a, win a big tournament.

09:40I, I, I had the belief before the World Cup and we installed the belief within us and we

09:47installed the belief with our fans.

09:49That's why it was very, very painful to fell short in the, in the, in the semi-final.

09:56Uh, but the belief is there and the attitude to constantly push our limits and to constantly

10:02get better is absolutely there.

10:04So I'm very, very happy with the progress.

10:06I'm very happy with the moment in which we are in.

10:09I think it's, it's, it's, uh, it's a very good moment to, to start the challenge and to,

10:15to challenge the, the world champions.

10:17And, and this is what we need.

10:19This is what we need in the build up of a major, of a major, of a major championship,

10:25of a major competition like the Euros, because yeah, that's the, that's the goal.

10:30We want to win the Nations League and we want to win the Euros.

10:33Hi Tomás, hi Merrero for Disidencia Deportiva.

10:36It's been just a month and a half since the last, uh, last game between Spain and England.

10:42I want to ask you, what have you learned from a tactical point of view, uh, over that game?

10:46And what do you expect to be different tomorrow?

10:49Well, I think that, that Spain, just, just this incredible well-drilled team with a coach

10:55who is a long time in charge and you can just see that they have so many, um, they have

11:01so many automatic patterns that are in place.

11:05It's not only, of course, the ball possession and, and, and the fluidity of their game.

11:10But they are full of confidence, uh, first of all, building a, uh, incredible, unbeaten run,

11:16like, like they have.

11:18And it's, uh, impressive to see how they defend in a, in a, in a, in a 4-4-2

11:23structure.

11:24It is, they are very, very patient.

11:26They don't allow a lot of chances.

11:29Um, um, um, if they allow chances, they have world-class goalkeepers.

11:34So, it's a team full of quality and on, tactically, on the highest level.

11:38Because you see that the things that they're doing, that they just do it on the highest level.

11:44They do it repetitive.

11:46Um, there's not a lot of, uh, significant change during the matches.

11:50They're just, like, very, very stable on a very high level.

11:55Okay.

11:56Hello, Mr. Tuchel.

11:57How are you?

11:59Here.

12:01Here.

12:02Here.

12:03Here.

12:14Here.

12:15Here.

12:16speaking of saying that he could comment on his players the racist protocol tomorrow before the game

12:23remembering the precedence of 2004 in a match here in Madrid

12:26and because Spain has been sanctioned by the following amistoso FIFA

12:30for a racist insult in the squad, in the amistoso that Spain played in Cornell

12:34he has asked for it to Luis de la Fuente that he didn't expect

12:38and Luis de la Fuente told us that in Spain there is no racism

12:41I don't know if he could explain the context of what he said

12:44and if tomorrow he seems to be an important point to explain the racist protocol

12:51Good, very important because it's exactly how it works

12:54I was polite enough to ask a question from your colleagues

12:59and you run and ask the other coach and tell him that I talk about racism in Spain

13:04it's a perfect example how it works

13:07because I never talked about racism in Spain

13:09I answered politely a question about what happens

13:14I never expect racism

13:16and the dressing room is the most anti-racist place on earth

13:21and that's exactly how it works

13:23you create a lot of confusion for absolutely nothing

13:26it's a perfect example of how it should not work

13:29you're here

13:31Hi Thomas, Ethan Gandia for...

13:34in Spanish

13:35Yeah, yeah, sorry, sorry, sorry

13:37got a bit upset, sorry

13:42Ethan Gandia para NG Sports

13:45vuelve la Minyamal a una convocatoria de España

13:47tras haberse perdido ese primer partido ante la República Checa

13:50es un aliciente para Inglaterra a la vuelta de la Minyamal

13:53y si se plantea de forma diferente el encuentro al estar él en el campo

13:57y nos ha podido asegurar Luis de la Fuente que podría ser mañana titular

14:08I struggle to see how it's good for us

14:11that La Minyamal is back

14:12but I'm happy if you can convince me

14:15I think he's one of the very best

14:17and most influential players offensively

14:20on the planet right now

14:22so I think he's a huge weapon

14:25and

14:27yeah

14:28and

14:29one of the very best players that we have to control

14:32so I don't see a disadvantage

14:34I was always sure that he was ready to play

14:37on this kind of match

14:38and

14:39that's why we prepare for a team with La Minyamal

14:45Hello Thomas, Ivan Gordovilla from Diario Ash

14:48a few months after the game against Argentina

14:52I want to ask you if England is leading the match tomorrow in the final minutes

14:58would you make the same substitutions as you did that day?

15:03Thank you

15:03Well

15:04I will hopefully be

15:07feel free enough to take any decision that I think is necessary in coaching

15:14because I think that is the foundation for good coaching

15:18that you feel free enough to influence and

15:21and

15:21to influence the game from the side

15:24as you

15:24that you

15:25as you feel the game

15:27fold out

15:28and as you

15:29as you think you can have an influence from

15:32from

15:32from the side

15:33so

15:33if that is the question

15:35yes

15:35I feel free enough to do

15:37I think that we're very well aware of how

15:39where to improve

15:41and

15:41and where to improve

15:42also defensively

15:45we mentioned it briefly earlier

15:47the part of defending in a deep block

15:50the part of defending in a deep block

15:52and pushing out again into a middle block

15:54and maybe then pushing out into the opponent's half

15:56is a part where we need to get better

15:58and a little bit more patient

16:01most of our

16:03most of our difficult moments

16:05which is by the way a beautiful thing

16:07most of our most difficult moments

16:08and chances created from the opponents

16:11come from overdoing

16:12from being maybe not patient enough

16:15so

16:16this is where we

16:18sometimes

16:20are not patient enough

16:22and

16:23maybe allow spaces

16:25that on the highest level

16:26like if you

16:27if you look at the game

16:28against

16:29against Spain

16:30in

16:31in Wembley

16:32are then punished by the opponent

16:34with a

16:35with a

16:353-2

16:36because they play clinically

16:37through the

16:38through the tiniest gaps

16:39so this is a part of the game

16:41where we want to improve

16:43and

16:44and

16:44yeah

16:45like my coaches

16:46my job is to coach the team

16:48and

16:48if we

16:49if we

16:50if we think we need to help

16:52with the substitutions

16:53we will not be shy to make a substitution

17:21I sent a message

17:22yeah

17:25yes of course

17:26I

17:27I sent a message

17:27but this is what

17:28it

17:29it

17:29got twisted

17:29because I said

17:30I always expect

17:32a friendly atmosphere

17:34and I always expect

17:35now if we play away game

17:36I

17:37I expect emotional

17:38and

17:39of course

17:39supporting fans from Spain

17:41for their national team

17:42that's what I expect

17:43but I don't expect racism

17:45nowhere

17:46and

17:47I'm

17:48shocked if it happens

17:49and it should happen nowhere

17:50and

17:51I am the first one

17:52to

17:53to

17:54to stand up for these kind of values

17:57then I got asked

17:58what will happen

17:59if

17:59and if

18:00and I said

18:00if it happens

18:01there's a protocol in place

18:02that's it

18:03that's it

18:04but

18:04my trust

18:05is that we

18:06that we have a friend

18:07that we have a friendly atmosphere

18:08that we have a

18:09atmosphere

18:10who is clearly in favor

18:11of

18:12of the Spanish team

18:13and that

18:14football does

18:15what it does best

18:16bring people together

18:17and not divide people

18:18that's

18:18100% clear

18:20okay

18:20two more to finish

18:21we'll go there

18:21and then there

18:23in Spanish please

18:24Sergio Urbast

18:25de Tiralineas Madrid

18:27a me me gustaría preguntarle

18:28por un nombre en concreto

18:30por Jude Bellingham

18:31me gustaría preguntarle

18:32en primer lugar

18:33si cree que atraviesa

18:34el mejor momento

18:35de su carrera

18:36como de importante es

18:38para su selección

18:39y si le ve algún día

18:40levantando un balón de oro

18:42como ha hecho Harry Kane

18:49he was already

18:50in the mix

18:51I guess

18:51now

18:52for this balón de oro

18:53and I understand

18:54the obsession

18:56and

18:56the

18:57scrutiny

18:58of

18:58this individual

18:59prize

19:00you can maybe

19:01understand

19:01that me

19:02as a football coach

19:03as a team coach

19:04I believe

19:05in team spirit

19:05and togetherness

19:07I'm not the biggest fan

19:09of that prize

19:09but of course

19:10Jude is one of the most

19:12talented players

19:13on the planet

19:13one of the most

19:15exciting players

19:16offensive midfield players

19:18on the planet

19:19so he is where

19:20decisive actions

19:22happen on the field

19:24he had incredible

19:25World Cup for us

19:26was decisive

19:28and

19:29was influential

19:30on the very highest level

19:33that has not changed

19:34he is

19:35one of the key players

19:37for Real Madrid

19:38every three days

19:40and

19:42he will be up

19:43to the highest level

19:44tomorrow

19:45that is for sure

19:46that is the stage

19:47that he loves

19:48and that's the stage

19:49that brings out

19:50the very best in him

19:50and we will see it tomorrow

19:52last question

19:53Hi Thomas

19:54for many years

19:55it's been unusual

19:56to have a game

19:57of such high caliber

19:58just a month later

19:59firstly

20:00do you find it useful

20:01and second

20:02in terms of integrating

20:03new players

20:04into the camp

20:04Josh King

20:05Joe Bellingham

20:06etc

20:06how hard is it

20:07to fit them in

20:08when you are playing

20:08the world champions

20:09a month later

20:10for them

20:11it's a bit difficult

20:12but still

20:14it was a good opportunity

20:15to see them

20:15how they interact

20:17with our group

20:18how our group

20:19interacts with them

20:20and they left

20:21a beautiful mark

20:23because they are

20:23full of quality

20:24and they are

20:25amazing characters

20:27so that was

20:28already a success

20:29but it's true

20:30it's a high level game

20:32in a new competition

20:33and you could see

20:35what it meant

20:36to Portugal

20:36to win this title

20:38and the celebrations

20:40and the joy

20:41and the emotions

20:43the Final Four

20:44brought out

20:45in the nation

20:47there

20:47and in these national teams

20:48so

20:49this is

20:50of course

20:51the Nations League campaign

20:53and to play

20:53in the first league

20:55in the highest league

20:56of Nations League

20:57is very

20:58very competitive

20:59so it's

21:00very nice

21:01for us coaches

21:01because we see

21:02our players

21:03actually

21:03on the highest level

21:05competing against

21:06other nations

21:07and I think

21:08it's a very

21:09interesting format

21:11purely from our

21:12perspective

21:13we take it

21:14very seriously

21:14because it gives us

21:15the best chance

21:17to prepare

21:18the campaign

21:20for the European

21:21Championship

21:22but right now

21:23we're totally

21:24locked in

21:25to tomorrow

21:26and I think

21:27like all football fans

21:28like you

21:29like me

21:29and everyone

21:30out there

21:31is excited

21:32to see

21:33the clash

21:34tomorrow

21:35thank you

21:35very much

21:35to the 14

21:36tomorrow

21:37thank you

21:40see you tomorrow

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