Ahead of England's third group-stage match against Panama in the FIFA World Cup, Thomas Tuchel, England's manager, gave an interview to ITV Sport.

The game against Ghana was physically demanding and difficult. Are all England players fully recovered and ready to play again?

I'm not sure yet. We have to wait until tomorrow. Reece James, Elliott Anderson, and Declan Rice trained individually today and didn't join team training. The decision will be made tomorrow.

Will you make changes tactically, physically, or in other areas?

Not physically. The game was demanding in terms of intensity and short sprints, but overall physical output wasn't extremely high, so no physical changes are necessary. Everyone is ready to play again, but it makes sense to give playing time to players who worked hard—to show them we're pleased with their efforts. So yes, we want to play intensely and with urgency. I haven't decided yet. We're still analyzing Panama. We need to organize tomorrow's training and communicate the right message, then find a strong team ready to play.

After two games, has your confidence increased or decreased?

Increased. I don't think facing difficulties or frustrations early in a tournament is a problem in itself. I feel these things happen naturally over a long period. There's no rule that we must beat every opponent by two or three goals or score four every game. That's not how it works. Every team comes well prepared. They've changed coaches, adjusted their tactics to a defensive setup, and they do it well. So if challenges arise now, that's good. As long as we maintain trust and confidence and continue doing what we've done so far, there's no reason to doubt now.

As a head coach participating in a major tournament for the first time, what does this reveal about your strengths?

I just love coaching. Yes, I love the dynamics that come from match results. I enjoy when things intensify, because decisions must be sharper and faster. You don't have time to overthink. You just have to decide, and that's good because the decision is followed by action, and hopefully we can unleash our potential. Of course, we have to get it right—that's my responsibility—but I love competing. I love the feeling of commitment to something.

You've managed England for 16 games now. Which player have you selected most frequently?

The player I've selected most frequently?

15 times.

Fikayo Tomori.

Close. From a club perspective, yes, it's Morgan Rogers.

Ah, Morgan. Okay, sorry, Morgan. I should have known.

What's special about him?

Yes, I really like Morgan. He's a versatile player—physically strong, young, energetic, and can play multiple positions. He can play as a winger or as a number 10. He's very active with and without the ball. So he's at a good point in his career. He's a top-level player.

He played an important role in qualifying. Will he play an important role here too?

Yes, absolutely. His role is important now as well. I feel like his World Cup started with the Ghana game. I liked his performance after coming on as a substitute. His impact was greater in the Croatia game—closer to the Morgan we know. I also told him I can't guarantee you'll start every game or play all 90 minutes, but you're one of my key players, and that won't change.

Jude Bellingham said one thing about Morgan is that in a flash, he can change the game with a moment of brilliance.

Yes, he can break through deep defenses. But he also likes to run with long strides because he's very quick, and when he gets going, his pace over distance is impressive. So when we face deep defenses, it's not always easy for him. He's an exceptional player at changing games. So we need to find the right moments to accelerate, but he's always involved in pressing and always engaged in defense. He's willing to run more. As I said, he's one of my key players.

The last time England played Panama was in 2018, which saw their record World Cup victory with a 6-1 score. Is Panama stronger now?

Yes, Panama is much stronger now. They've performed well recently and adjusted their playing style slightly. This is definitely a stronger Panama. They conceded late against Ghana and one goal to Croatia from just two shots, so it seems creating chances and scoring goals is difficult for them. If you look closely at their defense, you'll find they're sitting deeper than in qualifying. Sometimes they play with six or even seven defenders at the back. So they won't hesitate to drop deep and press fullbacks trying to attack. So yes, it feels different from that day, but in a different way—because they're more focused on possession, building from the back, and pressing high one-on-one. So they have different characteristics from Ghana, but the core remains deep defending.

Jude Bellingham has become a symbol of English football fans at major tournaments. Sometimes he plays with great commitment, sometimes with too much emotion—is he overly aggressive? Have you discussed this?

No, I think that's his style, and games like this bring out the best in him. He plays in a high-pressure environment. That's his nature, and he can handle it.

Anthony Gordon performed brilliantly against Costa Rica. He joined FC Barcelona before the season started, which was a significant reinforcement. What's going wrong now?

Yes, there's an issue with the entire left wing. When I look at the left wing we had against Costa Rica—Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, and Nico O'Reilly—I don't see a problem. The triangle these three create should make our left wing very dangerous. But they haven't yet built good understanding together, and I don't know why. Logically, they should coordinate well in every game, every day, because we haven't changed our playing style. Maybe the answer is they haven't yet developed chemistry. Sometimes you need more time. They performed brilliantly against Costa Rica, but all the left-wing players haven't been able to repeat that performance. So it's good that we still have room for improvement.

Finally, top teams seem to win and are expected to progress as group winners. Simply put, how important is winning the group?

Nothing replaces a win. Even if you have lots of reasons and statistics proving you should win, if you don't win, the atmosphere is completely different. That won't change—whether it's a World Cup team or a Sunday league team. If you don't win, afternoon, evening, and even the next morning feel different. You can't maintain the same mindset. So nothing replaces a win.

Right, but is winning the group especially important in this situation?

Absolutely. That's what we want to do. We want to win, and I think that would make us group winners. So yes, that's why we're here.

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