Thomas Tuchel regrets not having eaten any grass after the World Cup win over Mexico

The English national coach Thomas Tuchel regrets not having eaten any grass after England triumphed in the World Cup round of 16 against Mexico in June at the Azteca Stadium. The confession appears in the documentary “Reflections: England's World Cup Journey” released on Wednesday by the FA and speaks openly about the experience.

Documentation reveals personal confession

The documentary “Reflections: England's World Cup Journey” released on Wednesday by the English football association FA shows Thomas Tuchel in his role as national coach. It places England’s coach Thomas Tuchel at the centre and provides insight into the emotional journey of the Three Lions. It addresses his unusual confession after the World Cup round of 16.

In an interview with former national striker Daniel Sturridge, Tuchel explains that he wrote to a friend: “I regret not having eaten some of the grass to keep a part of it in my body forever.” The confession highlights his desire for a physical memento of the moment. Tuchel explained that the craving for grass consumption stems from a childlike need for oral ingestion.

Grass ritual and dramatic World Cup round of 16 win

England beat Mexico in the World Cup round of 16 3 : 2 at the Azteca Stadium in June, a World Cup win that saw the team spend almost half the match a man down. It was only the third time in 90 games that the hosts had lost at the Azteca Stadium. The match was marked by high drama, as England were a man down for almost half the game yet held on to the narrow lead until the end.

Kane leads England to victory in the Nations League

Tuchel regrets not having eaten any grass, and describes the craving for an oral ingestion ritual, which tennis star Novak Djokovic also practices after his Wimbledon triumphs. The comparison to Novak Djokovic, who eats grass shoots from the Centre Court after each Wimbledon triumph, shows that such rituals are not unusual in elite sport. The German coach sees eating the grass as a way to physically preserve the euphoria of the triumph.

Team spirit, criticism and outlook to Euro 2028

After the goal celebration Jordan Henderson crashed into the railing and broke his arm. Tuchel describes how within a second all the players formed a protective wall and the celebration was instantly silenced – a sign of extraordinary team spirit. The team's reaction showed that the cohesion goes beyond the pitch and is activated immediately in critical moments.

In the World Cup semi‑final England lost 1 : 2 to Argentina, leaving them without a title since 1966, i.e., 60 years without a major success. Despite critical voices about his tactics, Tuchel remains on the bench of the Three Lions. Despite the defeat England remains active in the Nations League group with Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic, where the next four matches will be played on Friday.

Irish U21 boss Crawford hails historic Euro play‑off after England win

Tuchel will name the squad for the first four Nations League matches on Friday and is already looking ahead to the home Euro 2028, where he wants to lead England to its first title since 1966. He stresses the close bond with the players and the teams overall: “It feels as if they are now my players.” He emphasizes that the close bond with the players and the teams forms the foundation for the desired Euro success in 2028.