England's World Cup Countdown: Tuchel's Final Push Before Croatia

Thomas Tuchel believes England are ready to move through the gears as their World Cup countdown enters its final stretch, with Costa Rica the last stop before the real business begins.

The back-to-back European Championship finalists have been sweating through hot, airless Florida days since landing in the United States last Monday, trying to sharpen minds and legs in conditions designed to mimic what awaits them this summer.

They laboured to a 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday, a game that will not live long in any memory. Tuchel split his squad across the two halves, tested combinations, and banked the minutes. Job done, nothing more.

Now comes Costa Rica in Orlando, a side not heading to the World Cup but drafted in as a crucial staging post before next Wednesday’s Group L opener against Croatia in Dallas.

Tuchel demands a “push” before Kansas

The headline for Tuchel is simple: everyone is fit, everyone is on deck.

“No-one needs a break, everyone is available. That’s the very good news,” he said, outlining a plan that ramps up both minutes and intensity in this final friendly.

“No-one was injured, no complaints, after the first match. One day for recovery, two good training sessions and ready to give it a push tomorrow. Push means more than 45 minutes – players will play 60, maybe some 70.”

The word “push” cropped up repeatedly. Tuchel wants tempo, aggression, and a higher rhythm on the ball after the sluggish win over New Zealand. He wants England to look like a team that can hit the tournament running, not one still loosening up.

The only note of caution surrounds Bukayo Saka. The forward’s workload is being carefully managed after an Achilles issue, with the staff intent on avoiding any risk this close to the tournament. He is available, but England will pick their moments.

Once Costa Rica are dealt with in the oppressive Orlando heat, England will head back to their warm-weather base in West Palm Beach before flying to their World Cup headquarters in Kansas City on Saturday. The pre-camp, as Tuchel calls it, is almost done.

“Then pre-camp is finished, and we start our adventure two days later in Kansas,” he said. The word “adventure” felt deliberate. This is a group that has gone deep in the last two European Championships. The expectation now is to go one step further on the global stage.

Behind closed doors, the fine-tuning continues

The public friendlies are only half the story. Tuchel has also arranged a behind-closed-doors game against Miami FC on Thursday, a controlled environment designed for conditioning as much as tactics.

“Basically, if you played only 20 minutes (against Costa Rica) I have the chance to give you another 50 or 60 on the next day,” he explained.

England will control everything: substitutions, match length, and the specific scenarios they want to rehearse. It is a manager’s dream – a game that bends to his needs.

“We are in charge, I think, of the substitutions. We are in charge of the length of the matches, and we can totally dictate as to who is available to give everyone at the end of the pre-camp the same load.

“Then we can start in Kansas on the same level for everyone.”

Set pieces will also get attention in that hidden fixture. Tuchel admitted they may “try some stuff” against the USL Championship side, a chance to refine routines without broadcasting them to World Cup analysts poring over every public minute of England’s preparation.

The aim is clear: arrive in Kansas with a squad physically aligned, tactically drilled, and with no one lagging behind in match sharpness.

Waiting their turn on the global stage

The World Cup curtain rises on Thursday when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa, but England must wait. Their campaign does not begin until next Wednesday, when they meet Croatia in Dallas to launch their Group L journey.

That opener is followed by clashes with Ghana and Panama, a group that offers opportunity but no margin for complacency. England know from bitter experience how quickly a tournament can tilt if the first 90 minutes go wrong.

For now, the focus is on Costa Rica, the heat, and that final “push” Tuchel keeps demanding. The drills in West Palm Beach, the slog in Tampa, the controlled run-out against Miami FC – all of it is building towards Dallas.

The adventure, as Tuchel put it, starts in Kansas. What England do in the next few days will decide how ready they really are when the world finally stops and watches.