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As Thomas Tuchel joyfully watched his England side dismantle Croatia in Dallas, the thought that crossed his mind was simple yet telling: “People in the pubs will like this.”

Tuchel shared the remark with a wide grin, even more pleased with what the 4-2 victory signified. “It feels good and rewarding,” he said. “Hopefully everyone enjoyed it. It builds a connection.”

He added with a laugh, “I was sweating, but it was worth it. We kept creating chances and pushing forward with every ball. That’s why you’re in a pub, watching it together on a big screen, getting emotional. Hopefully, we managed to pass that feeling on.”

Tuchel appears to have lifted England’s game, exactly as he was brought in to do. His words resonated with fans who had just witnessed one of the most entertaining performances in recent memory. While his statements might sound deliberately crowd-pleasing, they were backed by meaningful football insight.

Assistant coach Anthony Barry hinted at this in a revealing halftime interview that could have easily been the headline moment of the game. “You’d think the penalty would free us up to play more like ourselves,” Barry said, “but again we fell back into some fearful patterns.”

That phrase—“fearful patterns”—was telling. Barry couldn’t have been referring to Tuchel’s short tenure since this was the first tournament match following a flawless qualifying run. The German manager had been appointed specifically to overcome the lingering issues from previous years.

In essence, this was a reference to the Gareth Southgate era. Those “fearful patterns” spoke to the cautious approach that defined his time in charge. Southgate’s desire to maintain control in big games—highlighted by the Euro 2020 final—often led England to let those matches slip away.

Some close to the squad felt that the first-half display against Croatia was still shaped by those very nerves born of past tournament frustrations. Tuchel’s philosophy, by contrast, is one of attacking freedom, and the victory seemed to reinforce that belief.

That’s why his halftime talk carried such authority and impact. “It was mostly about encouraging the players and reminding them of what we wanted,” Tuchel explained. “The spaces where we wanted to accelerate play and win the ball were there, but we weren’t fully free.”

“We weren’t performing at our best. We dropped too early into a deep block. From a middle block, we went too deep. Normally, when we move into a middle block, it’s fine because we have clear triggers to press high. We wanted John Stones to push into midfield, but their number nine blocked him—maybe they planned that or maybe it was just coincidence.”

“It took time to realise that Elliot [Anderson] could then push forward. That delay cost us confidence. We lost our triggers, started feeling like we had to protect something, and ended up too deep and passive.”

Tuchel said he told the team simply “to do our things better”. He added, “No need to adjust or change anything. We just had to get things going again—find the gaps more effectively in passing, stop going around the block inviting pressure, and push together from a middle block into a high press.”

The message worked spectacularly, especially given the intensity of England’s second-half surge. “We were much more active and aggressive,” Tuchel said with satisfaction.

The mention of John Stones, however, brought up some lingering questions. The experienced defender is not quite at his peak level, though Tuchel evaded any criticism of a player he clearly trusts. “Some players struggled a bit because it was hot and humid, and the game was very intense. That’s normal. I think [Stones] cramped up in both legs at the end because of the intensity. The numbers confirmed it—they really worked hard. The humidity made it tough to recover, so I think John was just like everyone else.”

“Everyone was exhausted in the dressing room, which I like—it shows they gave everything. That’s how you build resilience: you overcome tough moments together. We were punished twice but responded both times. Conceding for 2-2 was tough, but we came back again, took the lead for the third time, and finally finished it off because we created so much.”

Tuchel also highlighted the importance of the substitutes, who combined brilliantly for Marcus Rashford’s goal. For him, it was a perfect example of the unity and attacking spirit he’s trying to instil. “We’re so strong from the bench,” he said. “I know they’re all starters. It’s new for them, but they understand this is a special period. They’ve embraced the idea that we’re doing it together as a team.”

“The competition among them is at the highest level. In training last week we had intense 10-vs-10 sessions, working on finishing, attacking, and defensive patterns. The players have been so professional and respectful that it made selection tough. But they know their moment will come—whether to start, to finish, or to make the difference from the bench. This is a four-week journey, and they’ve all bought into it. We chose this group because we knew they could handle it.”

By waiting patiently for their chances and performing selflessly, the players are helping deliver what England fans have long been waiting to see.