England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed one of the strangest regrets of his 2026 World Cup campaign: he wishes he had eaten some of the grass at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium after England’s dramatic victory over Mexico.
Looking back on the tournament in the Football Association’s documentary Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey, Tuchel described the 3-2 last-16 victory as an experience he wanted to preserve forever.
The German coach recalled texting a friend immediately after the match, telling him he regretted not taking an unusual souvenir from the pitch.
“I regret that I didn’t eat some grass after the match to keep something from this in my body forever,” Tuchel said.
He explained that the bizarre thought captured the emotions he felt at the final whistle.
“That was the feeling. That was the moment,” he added.
England Survived a Dramatic Night in Mexico
The Azteca victory became one of the defining moments of England’s World Cup campaign.
Jude Bellingham scored twice in the first half before Mexico pulled a goal back, while Harry Kane later converted a penalty to restore England’s two-goal advantage.
The match became even more difficult for Tuchel’s side when Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card early in the second half, leaving England with 10 men for more than 40 minutes.
Mexico reduced the deficit again through Raúl Jiménez, setting up a tense finale. England’s defence ultimately held firm to secure a 3-2 victory and a place in the quarter-finals.
Tuchel later described the match as containing almost everything a manager could ask for from his team.
“This game had so much of what you could wish for,” he said.
Tuchel Remembers the Players Protecting Jordan
One particular incident also stayed with the England manager.
Tuchel recalled the moment Jordan Pickford was involved in an incident that left him injured, saying the players immediately stopped celebrating and gathered around him.
“Within a second, the players were there,” Tuchel said, describing how the squad formed a protective shield around their teammate.
“Every single player was there stopping the celebrations, building a shield, protecting Jordan, not going anywhere, in full empathy. It was so special.”
For Tuchel, the reaction demonstrated the bond that had developed within the squad throughout the tournament.
The Azteca Victory Became a Defining World Cup Memory
England’s win was particularly notable because it came at the famous Azteca, in front of a passionate Mexican home crowd, and with Tuchel’s team forced to cope with a numerical disadvantage for much of the second half.
The Football Association described the victory as a historic result, with England becoming the first team to defeat Mexico in a FIFA World Cup match at the Azteca.
Tuchel has since identified the final whistle and the embrace with his coaching staff as one of his most memorable moments of the entire tournament.
“This was maybe my moment of the World Cup – the hug with my coaches right after the whistle,” he said.
Tuchel Says England Have Something to Build On
The manager also reflected on the connection that developed between his squad and England supporters during the tournament.
Tuchel said the players and fans appeared to understand each other, with the support from those travelling to the tournament and those watching at home becoming an important part of England’s experience.
The team ultimately finished third at the World Cup after a semi-final defeat to Argentina, followed by a 6-4 victory over France in the bronze-medal match.
Despite falling short of their ambition of winning a second World Cup, Tuchel said the campaign had strengthened his relationship with the squad.
“It feels like they are my players now, it’s something to build on,” he said.
“I’m very excited. I think we got another step closer and I think we’re there.”
Spain Awaits England at Wembley
Tuchel’s focus now turns to the new international campaign, with England scheduled to face Spain at Wembley on September 26 in the opening match of their 2026-27 Nations League campaign.
The fixture will provide England with an immediate test against the reigning world champions as Tuchel begins preparing the squad for the next major tournament cycle.
The FA’s Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey, featuring Tuchel’s detailed account of the tournament, was released on September 16 through the official England app.
