Thomas Tuchel will lead England into the 2026 World Cup as one of the leading contenders to lift the iconic trophy. The Three Lions are blessed with world-class talent in several areas of the pitch, but the manager would still take one foreign player if he could.
The likes of Declan Rice, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka are expected to be in the Ballon d'Or conversation this year, with their chances enhanced further if England go far in the World Cup. That's how impressive the best players at Tuchel's disposal really are.
In fact, the aforementioned names even feature among the very best footballers on the planet. But even with all that talent, there's an improvement the German coach admitted he would make to his strongest XI if possible.
Thomas Tuchel Picks Foreign Player He Wishes Was English
england thomas tuchel
Would he take a German player to bolster his ranks if possible, or a star man he's previously worked with at club level? Well, the answer is neither.
Speaking to talkSPORT in 2025, Tuchel was pressed for an answer on which one player in the world he would take for his England team, regardless of nationality. Initially reluctant to answer, he eventually settled for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, Rodri. He said:
"That's a difficult one! Rodri... but not injured."
The Manchester City and Spain midfielder played an integral role in the Citizens' historic treble success in 2023, even scoring the winner in the Champions League final vs Inter Milan. He then led the Spanish national team to European Championship glory in 2024, where they beat a Gareth Southgate-managed England in the final.
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His 2024-25 campaign didn't go to plan, however, as shortly before he was declared the best player in the world via his Ballon d'Or win, Rodri suffered an ACL injury that would rule him out for almost the entire season. Pep Guardiola's men struggled immensely without their midfield metronome, which proves his value to one of the best club sides in the world.
Rodri 'Loves' One England Player
England squad
Before England's Euro 2024 final loss against Spain, Rodri was asked which Three Lions player he would remove from the opposing line-up. He responded by saying his Manchester City teammate Phil Foden would need to be 'kept under control'. He replied (per Mail Sport):
"They have a lot of them. I love Phil Foden because I know him, he's with me.
"He's a player who has to be kept under control because he has an innate ability to move in a small space. But there are many players who can do a lot of damage."
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