Stuart Pearce has urged England’s players to seize a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to win the World Cup this summer, as the Three Lions were handed a group featuring Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
Pearce, who suffered semi-final heartbreak at Italia 90 when he missed in the shoot-out defeat to West Germany, knows better than most how rare such chances are. The former Nottingham Forest left-back, nicknamed Psycho for his hard-man reputation, won 78 caps but only ever went to one World Cup.
“Stuart Pearce urges England to seize World Cup chance as Group L opponents revealed.”
Now a media pundit at 64, Pearce said: “I’m excited. If I put my mind back as a player, coach or as a manager, you are nervous because you hope there are no injuries to key players.”
He insisted Thomas Tuchel can be the man to lead England to glory in the United States, describing the German head coach as “fantastic”. While people assume Pearce is a tub-thumping Englishman, he believes Tuchel can provide the extra yard to get them over the line.
England are huge favourites to top Group L, but face tricky tests against Croatia, Ghana and Panama. The tournament kicks off across North America this summer, with Tuchel’s side expected to begin their campaign in the coming weeks.
Pearce’s message is clear: make the most of it, because the next chance may never come.