Tuchel Wants All British Players To Feel Equally Important, Don't Care About Starters Or Reserves

JAKARTA - Thomas Tuchel wants substitutes to put aside frustration and encourage teammates from the bench.

The England coach stressed that the only way they can win the 2026 World Cup is to fight as a team.

The two-time Euro runners-up are one of the favorites to win in next summer's tournament, which they have qualified for two games remaining.

Tuchel has promised not to avoid difficult decisions around the 2026 World Cup. The German coach said the system was prioritized over the names of stars while trying to build brotherhood.

The approach, and trust in the team, made the stars Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden appear as substitutes against Serbia, with both coming in to help score goals in the final minutes scored by Eberechi Eze in a 2-0 win on Friday, November 14, 2025, early morning WIB.

Tuchel insists that there is no difference between starter and substitute. All the important players in the 2026 World Cup. He proved it by pointing to Eze's goal who is also a player from the bench.

"One hundred percent (substitute players are equally important). We need a good reserve player. We are playing at 40 degrees (at the 2026 World Cup).

"We will play after a very long season. We may be the country most suffering from international football, as a result of a long season, due to two trophies, as a result of the trophy final, due to the semifinals."

"One hundred percent of us have to be ready to make substitutions until, hopefully, the final stages of the 2026 World Cup," said Tuchel.

Tuchel further said it was natural for the strong national team of players to feel unhappy.

However, the England coach stressed the players should be as eager to achieve collective glory.

"You can be angry with the coach (when backed up), you can be angry at this situation, but if you look at the winning countries, seeing the clubs that win the Champions League, then the reserve players will stand."

"Over the past eight to 10 minutes no one has sat there thinking that they should be on the pitch, why aren't they there? In fact, they were there."

"I've experienced it once in an incredible journey with Chelsea and it's relentless. Everyone keeps pressing and fighting off the bench. Even though they're not elected, they're ready."

"In the end, this makes a difference. I am very, very sure, we will come with a team like that. Even if they are disappointed, that's fine," said Tuchel.

Tuchel also struggled in some decisions, saying that not bringing in new Alex Scott of the 23-player squad for the game against Serbia made him 'bellyache'.

Whether FIFA will use 26 players or change it for the 2026 World Cup still has to be seen. While the burden on the players made the England coach ask whether the five substitutions were enough or not.

"Good question. I don't think we're going to get a new number as soon as this from FIFA!"

"We have to adapt to five players and think out of the box, maybe even worship the additional slots we had in the first half."

"Maybe we can make one or two changes in the first half to get additional slots for changes in the second half," said Tuchel.

The plan will be refined after the final match of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers at Albania's headquarters, in which he promised not to take risks with any players.

"We had two training sessions. The last time after Andorra, there were four or five players who really trained for the match against Serbia with incredible training performances, so the chances are open," said Tuchel.