“This is the exciting part” – Tuchel ahead of Norway clash

England boss Thomas Tuchel has spoken with the media ahead of the Three Lions’ quarter-final clash with Norway in Miami.

He opened by stating, “This is now for me the exciting part, but we need to let go. We need to connect to our identity, connect to what makes us strong, be on the front foot and be brave. It’s the quarter-final, and the brave will have luck on their side. We cannot have any regrets when we play a quarter-final. We have to go for it. This is the most important thing.”

Tuchel’s side have experienced a pure rollercoaster of emotions in their first two knockout ties, with a late brace from Harry Kane enough to sneak past DR Congo before a thrilling encounter with Mexico at the Azteca saw England pick up a historic 3-2 win.

The head coach had his say on those games: “I think in general what it takes in the round of 32 and the round of 16 … it’s just you find a way to win,” Tuchel said. “That was how we framed it with the team. If you need a picture from the Premier League, it is January. It’s Sunderland, FA Cup. It’s away in Sunderland. It’s away in Leeds. You go. It’s adversity. It’s not good weather. You don’t like the decisions of the referee. Everything feels bad. They are on the front foot.

“You just need to get it done. If you want to be at Wembley in the end, you just need to get it done. Don’t go out in January; don’t go out in February. No one will ask you any more how you did it. And then come the exciting times. Then comes April, then comes May. Things can become easier, and then you have your identity, and you have to let go.”

Tuchel was questioned on the famous “it’s coming home” England chant and stated, “I clearly understand, and we’d like to make it happen. It’s the motherland of football. It’s Wembley. It’s the cathedral of world football. So this is why it should be coming home. But we have some steps in between – we cannot get carried away.”

Kick-off is scheduled for 10pm BST and will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK.