CORNERFLICK
Thomas Tuchel said England should not confuse ambition with illusion as he previewed the game against Croatia.
The England head coach called the World Cup the biggest tournament in football and said he was grateful for the chance to manage England at it. He added that he wants to handle the responsibility, prepare the team and support the players.
Tuchel said England “dream” and have every right to do so, but insisted that has to come with effort and responsibility. England, he said, must be worthy of the result they want.
He also offered a brief assessment of Croatia, describing their three-man defence as strong and compact and pointing to Mateo and Luka Modrić as the heartbeat of their midfield. Tuchel said Croatia have experience from major tournaments and a highly experienced coach, and stressed that England will need coordination and the right initiative to win.
Because the match is not a friendly, Tuchel said England will not use it to test many things and will rely on themselves in what he expects to be a tense game. The fixture, he said, will reveal the best version of his side.