Thomas Tuchel’s pre-World Cup experimentation must end here, after England’s 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa’s searing heat – a victory that came from what the head coach himself effectively admitted was a glorified training session.
Tuchel fielded two entirely separate teams, one for each half, using 22 different players for the first time since June 2004, when England faced Iceland before the European Championship. Harry Kane scored the only goal, but the performance left little doubt that this was not a dress rehearsal for the tournament opener against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June.
“England beat New Zealand 1-0 in training-style friendly as Tuchel experiments ahead of World Cup”
“To put it in context, a lot of our players last played together in November,” Tuchel said. “That’s half a year ago. We had four training sessions together, then mixed the team up completely.”
The German coach has experimented throughout the build-up, including friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March when Phil Foden, James Garner and Dominic Solanke all started – none of whom made the World Cup squad. Ivan Toney, after a year in the wilderness, played the second half against New Zealand.
Yet Tuchel also pointed to healthy competition as a strength. Anthony Gordon’s £70m move to Barcelona, he said, is “excellent” because it gives him a good excuse to scout in Spain. Gordon will compete with Marcus Rashford, who started against New Zealand before making way for the new Barcelona signing at half-time. “They can do what they do here and you see it with Noni and Bukayo,” Tuchel said, citing Arsenal’s rivalry between Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke. “It is not impossible.”
The match also saw the senior debut of Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha, 17, who came on as a half-time substitute. Jude Bellingham, captain in the second half, presented him with his cap in the dressing room. “Congratulations on an amazing debut,” Bellingham told him. “I think we all enjoyed watching it. Obviously you’re going to have a really bright future at your club and hopefully with us as well.”
Jordan Pickford added: “He was quality, nothing fazed him.” However, Ngumoha is one of four training players – along with Alex Scott, Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri – who were not in the original 55-man list submitted to FIFA and therefore cannot be promoted to the World Cup squad.
With key Arsenal figures Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka now rested and joining the squad in Florida after their Premier League title win and Champions League final loss, Tuchel has his full group available for the final friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday. That match, he knows, must show the hand he intends to play against Croatia.