When Thomas Tuchel sat down with the media at Wembley Stadium in May to explain his 26-man World Cup squad selections, he spoke of players who “know their role” and are “ready to buy into their role” as he fielded questions about the exclusions of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Tuchel was clear that “teams win championships,” and it was this collective, rather than individualistic, spirit that he was trying to foster. For too long, England had prioritised the strength of the players over the harmony of the squad.
