England manager Thomas Tuchel says they will play with no fear despite being dubbed the ‘favourites’ in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday.
Tuchel used his pre-match press conference to address the growing sense that Norway, fresh off their stunning win over Brazil, might be the ones without pressure on their shoulders.
“Norway overperform,” he said. “But internally they know very well how good they are. They proved it. They eliminated a big, big, big nation [in Brazil] on a big stage.
“And from there on, there is no such thing any more as favourites.”
He acknowledged the shift in narrative around the two sides. “I understand that it’s a bit of a lighter situation [for Norway] and they can ride this wave,” Tuchel said.
But he was quick to dismiss any suggestion that England were carrying more weight into Saturday’s quarter-final.
“We’re not thinking in this matter and I don’t feel our players are playing with fear. I don’t feel the weight of the shirt. And now we go. No matter who is on the other side, no matter if we are favourites or not or if the pressure is on.”
It was Tuchel at his most direct – stripping away the outside noise and refusing to let underdog status, on either side, become part of the story.