Thomas Tuchel has openly acknowledged that England’s own ball‑play created the greatest danger to themselves during their 3‑2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions, who entered the match as the reigning World Cup and European champions, made a series of costly errors that allowed Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal to find the net.
After a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign in which they did not concede a single goal, England have now surrendered nine goals across their last three senior fixtures – against Argentina, France and Spain – highlighting a sudden defensive vulnerability. Despite the glaring weaknesses exposed by top‑tier opposition, Tuchel is quick to dismiss the notion that England’s defensive structure is fundamentally flawed. Instead, he points to the team’s own possession errors as the root cause of the problems.
"It’s not a concern yet," Tuchel told the press before England’s next Nations League encounter with the Czech Republic on Tuesday. He added that, in terms of organised, block and active defending, his side performed at a higher level than in many previous games.
He expressed satisfaction with the collective defensive shape, describing it as a step forward. The German coach, however, did not shy away from admitting that individual mistakes, especially in the deep build‑up phase, were the main culprits when England had the ball. "We suffered clearly from individual mistakes when we had the ball, especially in the deep build‑up, so that is of course something we cannot repeat. Not at this level," he warned.
He went on to say that, paradoxically, England became the biggest danger to themselves around the penalty area because of those errors. "Purely in defending, I have no concerns and I trust that we can do it," Tuchel concluded, emphasizing his faith in the defensive unit. Tuchel’s comments arrive amid a wave of criticism over his tactical decisions during England’s World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina, where he chose to sit back and protect a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second. The German manager has previously suggested that England’s footballing DNA does not prioritise ball possession in the same way as Spanish or South American teams.
He remarked, "I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA like it is in Spanish DNA or in Argentinian‑Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball." Nevertheless, Tuchel believes that the team displayed its identity in the defeat to Luis de la Fuente’s side at Wembley. He noted that there had been much debate before the Spain match about England’s style, yet he felt the players demonstrated courage and a clear identity throughout the 90 minutes.
"We gave them a lot of problems. We caused ourselves some problems with individual mistakes. Mistakes can sometimes happen.
They shouldn't, but they did happen," he said. He highlighted that England pushed the world and European champions to the brink, maintaining an attacking approach even while leading by a goal.
"We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead. We were even more dominant and more of a threat," Tuchel added.
The manager also reflected on the momentum shift towards the end of the game, acknowledging that England bore some responsibility for the loss of rhythm. Yet he remains optimistic, pointing to the many positive takeaways from the performance.
"We were a little bit self‑responsible for the break in momentum towards the end of the match. But overall we have a lot of positives to take away," he said.
Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a home match against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, followed by an away clash with Croatia on October 3, and a return fixture against the Czechs on October 6. Fans can follow the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app, with kick‑offs slated for 7.45 pm for the Czech games and 5 pm for the Croatia encounter. In addition to the on‑field analysis, Sky Sports will host a Q&A session with reporter Rob Dorsett on Tuesday morning, inviting supporters to submit their questions about the Three Lions.
The broadcaster also promotes a Super 6 competition, offering a chance to win £1 million, with free entry available to fans. Overall, Tuchel’s assessment underscores a dual narrative: England’s defensive framework is solid, but their own possession play can become a liability when individual errors creep in. The manager’s focus now is on tightening those mistakes, preserving the team’s attacking intent, and ensuring that future matches reflect the high standards expected of a nation that has recently dominated the world stage.