England team: Still making a lot of noise even without their star players.

Whether fielding a strong or weak team, the England national team is always associated with a lot of controversy before major tournaments like the World Cup and the European Championship.

Coach Thomas Tuchel faces immense pressure when leading the England team at the 2026 World Cup - Photo: AFP

Even without considering their achievements, the mere appearance of the England squad list immediately sparks a commotion.

Media pressure

Last week, the official England squad was announced. And as is tradition, the country's media published a series of analyses and commentary. Some praised Tuchel's foresight, while others criticized the strategist for lacking vision.

Tuchel ruthlessly dropped many star players such as Cole Palmer, Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire, etc. Conversely, players considered "past their prime" or whose performance wasn't convincing enough were called up, such as Djed Spence, Dan Burn, Ivan Toney, etc.

This provides an opportunity for the media and experts in England to make a lot of noise, because the more they talk, the more attention they receive and the more views they get. This approach also helps English football attract substantial funding.

Many players of average skill still earn exorbitant salaries. The English Premier League consistently generates enormous revenue, even though not every season is successful in European competitions.

Two stars, Phil Foden (left) and Cole Palmer, had to stay home and watch the World Cup - Photo: AFP

But it also creates negative aspects, especially for the national team. Before major tournaments, players and coaches are subjected to immense pressure from the press and media. This inadvertently leads to disappointing results, such as being eliminated in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup.

Under manager Gareth Southgate, England's ability to cope with media pressure has improved, leading to better results. With Tuchel, however, he must find a way to adapt as the 2026 World Cup approaches.

Expensive squad

In fact, coach Tuchel was already under a lot of pressure when he was appointed by the English Football Association (FA). The reason didn't stem from his professional skills, but from the fact that he was... German.

The English might accept Sven-Goran Eriksson (Sweden) or Fabio Capello (Italy), but they would be unlikely to agree to a German strategist, given their long and complex footballing history.

But so far, Tuchel has shown he's doing quite well under pressure. He doesn't engage in pointless debates, but focuses entirely on his work. As a result, after 12 matches with England, he has achieved a record of 9 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.

Of those nine wins, eight were in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers (a 100% win rate). The "Three Lions" also impressed with 22 goals scored and, notably, not conceding a single goal.

Stars like Jude Bellingham (left) and Harry Kane make the England squad very valuable - Photo: AFP

Tuchel himself worked in England when he managed Chelsea, so he understands all too well what the commotion truly is. These are experiences that Eriksson or Capello before him didn't have.

Putting aside the controversies, the England squad this year, despite lacking many stars, is still very valuable. According to Transfermarkt, the total value of the "Three Lions" squad is 1.32 billion euros, the second most expensive at the 2026 World Cup, only behind France (1.47 billion euros).

Among them are highly valued players such as Jude Bellingham (140 million euros), Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka (120 million euros), Morgan Rogers (80 million euros). Even captain Harry Kane, despite being nearly 33 years old, is still valued at 65 million euros.

This shows that the "Three Lions" still have some top-quality players, and importantly, they fit Tuchel's philosophy.

The England team is still noisy, still attracts a lot of attention and controversy. But no one can deny that this is a strong team, a title contender based on ability, not on excessive praise.

At the 2026 World Cup, England are in Group L along with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. With a strong and dominant squad, the Three Lions have a good chance of progressing.

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DUC KHUE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/doi-tuyen-anh-thieu-ngoi-sao-van-on-ao-2026052712042054.htm