Tuchel says he regrets not eating Azteca turf after England beat Mexico

England manager Thomas Tuchel has described the team's victory over Mexico at the famous Azteca Stadium as one of the highlights of the campaign. The win marked only the third time in 90 competitive matches that Mexico had lost at the venue.

Tuchel joked that he regretted not eating the stadium's turf after the match, underlining how much the result meant to him and the squad. The German coach placed particular emphasis on the bond within the camp, which was on full display when captain Jordan Henderson fell over an advertising hoarding while celebrating and suffered an injury that will end his involvement in the tournament.

Squad unity on display

"This game had so much of what you could wish for," Tuchel said. "If you needed any proof of what it meant to these players and how they were with each other, it was the moment Jordan fell over and broke his arm."

According to Tuchel, every player immediately stopped celebrating and rushed to Henderson's side, forming a protective shield around their teammate and staying with him in a show of empathy.

What's next

England will next face World Cup winners Spain on 26 September in the opening match of the 2026-27 Uefa Nations League. Tuchel is also looking ahead to the 2028 European Championships, expressing confidence that England can finally end their wait for a first senior men's trophy since 1966.

He said the successful World Cup campaign had strengthened his relationship with the squad and given the team a foundation to build on going forward.