‘This team did not accept defeat as an outcome,’ says Tuchel after England beat Congo at World Cup
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘This team did not accept defeat as an outcome,’ says Tuchel after England beat Congo at World Cup")
‘This team did not accept defeat as an outcome' Tuchel on ENG entering last 16 Photograph: (X)
"This team did not accept defeat as an outcome." Thomas Tuchel praised England's elite mentality after Harry Kane's dramatic late brace sealed a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo to set up a massive World Cup Round of 16 clash with Mexico.
England coach Thomas Tuchel was on cloud nine after his team came from behind to win a dramatic Round of 32 clash against DR Congo at the FIFA World Cup 2026. England trailed until the 75th minute before their captain and star striker Harry Kane slotted home the equaliser. 11 minutes later, he smashed another goal, his 13th in this competition’s history, to steer England to a famous win in Atlanta. Courtesy of this win, England qualified for the pre-quarterfinals and will face one of the tournament’s co-hosts, Mexico, on July 5, in a bid for a spot in the final 8.
Just seven minutes into the match, Congo winger Brian Cipenga opened the scoring for the African nation, with the 46th-ranked team in the world keeping England players and fans quiet in the first half. Upbeat about turning the tables, England returned with all guns blazing in the second half, and through Kane, found two goals, their hero and a clinical win.
"This team today did not accept a defeat as an outcome," the German said in a post-match press conference. "It would be so easy to give in; it would be so easy to accept the narrative. I didn't see any of that, and that is a very, very good sign."
"That makes me very proud because they did what was necessary. The going got tough today; they showed up, and we got a deserved win, even if it was a late one,” he added.
)
‘This team did not accept defeat as an outcome' Tuchel on ENG entering last 16 Photograph: (X)
Far from their best in this tournament, England faces their toughest test against Mexico in front of nearly 87,000 home fans, and even if they beat Mexico, teams like Brazil, Argentina, and France could await it in the final stages. Aware of the Mexican side’s threat, Tuchel is ready for their ‘most beautiful fixture’.
"It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, the most exciting fixtures that you can have. We play against Mexico in the Azteca," added Tuchel. "The altitude will be, of course, a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It's just impossible.
"More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. We need it. Maybe we have the ideal platform now to genuinely believe that we are ready for that. When the going gets tough, we will find the answers."
