Thomas Tuchel compared Harry Kane to a shark and expressed pride in England after they rallied from a goal down to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday, securing a last-16 match against Mexico.
England faced an early exit when Brian Cipenga scored in the seventh minute, but Tuchel's side refused to accept defeat. Kane equalised in the 75th minute and scored the winner four minutes from time, marking England's first World Cup victory after conceding first since the 1966 final against West Germany.
Kane's predatory instinct seals victory
Kane now has five goals in four appearances, competing with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot. Tuchel praised his captain's instinct. "They're all sharks," Tuchel said. "If they smell blood, they come and score."
England's head coach, who made effective substitutions to alter the game's flow, praised his team's composure after falling behind. "Things stayed difficult," he said. "But this team did not accept a defeat. It makes me very proud because they did what was necessary. They showed up and we got a deserved win, even if it was a late one."
Tuchel highlights belief and determination
When informed of the statistic about comebacks, Tuchel responded: "That's a good sign. It just shows you the level of determination and the level of belief and also the level of focus. And it fits into my narrative that I didn't feel the weight on their shoulders. We played with exactly the right attitude and we trusted our spirit."
Anthony Gordon created both goals after replacing Marcus Rashford just after the hour mark. Tuchel also delivered crucial messages during the second hydration break, bringing on Eberechi Eze for Djed Spence and moving Declan Rice to right-back. Kane equalised five minutes later.
Tuchel's message: 'Keep on knocking'
"The message was always the same," Tuchel said. "Keep on knocking, knocking, knocking. Keep believing. Keep on doing what we do. Don't give in – you don't give in. That's what this team is about. It's so good to get this feeling on the sideline as a coach."
He added: "While you're trying to support and help, you get this feeling that players are free, players are not anxious. We didn't play with fear. We played with determination and then we just didn't accept it."
Tuchel credited Eze's introduction for improving the connection on the right flank with Bukayo Saka, and Rice's role as a full-back for dangerous crosses. "After 60, 70 minutes we come with fresh legs and then you just try to help and support and find solutions from the bench. But I felt it [was] easy today. We didn't need to unlock something tactically. Every time they spoke to me, they were invested, they were clear."
Next challenge: Mexico at altitude
England's next test is against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, approximately 2,200 metres above sea level. Tuchel, who fell asleep before Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0, expects a tough match. "It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, most exciting fixtures you can have," he said. "And there will be a lot of obstacles waiting for us. The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it. In four days, it's just impossible."
He concluded: "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. But I am very happy. Let's see how much this cost us. We didn't play overtime, which is a good thing."
