Sports15 September, 20262 min read
Thomas Tuchel Regrets Not Eating Azteca Stadium Grass After England’s 3-2 Win Over Mexico
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Tuchel regrets not eating Azteca Stadium grass after England's 3-2 win over Mexico. The victory occurred in the last-16 with England down to ten men.
Azteca grass regret
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he regrets not eating grass from the Azteca Stadium pitch after England’s 3-2 World Cup win over Mexico in the last 16 in July. Tuchel described the match as “It was the moment” and said he “texted a friend after the match” to write: “I regret that I didn’t eat some grass after the match, to keep something from this in my body forever.” The Three Lions’ victory came despite playing much of the second half with 10 men after Jarell Quansah’s red card, and Tuchel pointed to the 2,240 metres above sea level setting at the stadium.
“I regret that I didn’t eat some grass after the match, to keep something from this in my body forever. That was the feeling. It was the moment.”
Tuchel also tied the night to Jordan Henderson’s injury during celebrations, saying Henderson fell over and broke his arm, ending his tournament. In the same reflections, Tuchel said he is focused on Euro 2028 and the Nations League, with England set to play world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday, September 26.
Henderson shield moment
Tuchel told Daniel Sturridge in the English Football Association documentary “Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey” that the most telling proof of the squad’s togetherness came when Henderson fell over and broke his arm.
He said, “In a second the players were there, every single player was there, stopping celebrations, building a shield, protecting Jordan, not going anywhere, in full empathy. It was so special.”
The BBC also framed the Henderson moment as central to Tuchel’s assessment of the campaign, quoting him saying, “This game had so much of what you could wish for,” and adding that “Within a second, the players were there.”
In talkSPORT’s account, Tuchel linked the emotional scene to his broader view of what England can build on after their semi-final exit to Argentina, while also saying he is “fully focused on a successful home Euros campaign.”
Next matches and targets
Tuchel said England’s World Cup run gave them “something to build on” ahead of the 2028 European Championship, and he described the campaign as a foundation for preparing for the Euros. He set a specific target for the next phase, saying “The target is to have another 10 matches,” and he added that England have “four matches in the Nations League” as the focus. talkSPORT reported that Tuchel will lead England in their Nations League opener against world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday, September 26, and that the match precedes trips to Czechia and Croatia in a newly formatted international break lasting three weeks.
“The target is to have another 10 matches. We had 10 matches in the U.S. (including two pre-World Cup friendlies): eight wins, one draw, one painful loss.”
The BBC similarly placed Spain at the center of the immediate schedule, saying England are next in action against World Cup winners Spain on 26 September in their 2026-27 Uefa Nations League opener. Tuchel also said he is “very excited” to work with the players and bring in “new young players” for the camp as he looks toward Euro 2028.