England boss Thomas Tuchel emphasised the importance of togetherness after his second-half substitutes stole the show in their 2–0 win over Serbia, the Three Lions’ final competitive home match before the World Cup.
Bukayo Saka gave England the lead in the 28th minute, volleying into the top corner with his left shin. However, the entertainment began when Tuchel called on the attacking reinforcements with 25 minutes left on the clock, introducing Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze. The trio injected fresh energy and fluidity into England’s attack, combining brilliantly for Eze’s third goal for the Three Lions. Bellingham slipped the ball to Foden, who shifted it left to the Arsenal forward and his first-time strike flew into the top corner.
This came after Tuchel claimed that Bellingham, Foden and Harry Kane were unable to play together in his pre-Serbia press conference, saying: "At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play,"
Thomas Tuchel Hails England Professionalism
Tuchel
With little riding on the game for England, Tuchel was impressed by his team’s professionalism and praised the response from those who started on the bench – highlighting that this is exactly the kind of impact he will be looking for at next summer’s World Cup in North America.
“We wanted to have quality and had quality tonight,” said Tuchel. “We wanted to have an impact and new energy from the bench, which we clearly got. It's not about building a starting XI, but instead a team. The possibility that we go to Albania and start with the same XI goes to zero, and even more so in a tournament. It means sometimes there is disappointment because they are all big players with their clubs and all want to play – this is normal. They buy into this idea of building a team. That is what we want and need. There is no other way around it.
“We have to be a strong group, put ego aside, contribute and give the coach a headache for the next match. You could see the impact of those from the bench who came to finish the game, and it has to stay like this.
“We have a core of leaders within the team who drive the standards. We are building a welcoming atmosphere for players and encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves. Camp by camp we are building a culture. We make sure that everyone is going into the same direction so something special can be built.
“I’m very happy with the attitude of the team, it hasn’t changed because the games are dead rubbers. We just keep going and the team is desperate to shape our identity.”