Thomas Tuchel regrets not eating Azteca grass after England’s Mexico victory

Thomas Tuchel says he still regrets not eating a piece of the Azteca pitch after England’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

The England manager said the unusual thought was prompted by the extraordinary weather and the historic atmosphere surrounding the match in Mexico.

Tuchel made the admission during an in-depth interview with former England striker Daniel Sturridge for an FA documentary, Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey, which is due to be released on Wednesday.

His wish recalled the well-known tradition of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, who regularly eats a small piece of grass from London’s main court after winning Wimbledon titles.

Recalling the aftermath of England’s victory, Tuchel said, as reported by The Athletic: “I sent a text message to a friend immediately after the game and wrote: ‘I regret not eating some grass at the end of the match, to keep part of this moment and history inside my body forever.’ That was the overwhelming feeling in that extraordinary moment.”

Tuchel described England’s meeting with Mexico as one of the defining moments of their World Cup campaign, particularly after captain Jordan Henderson suffered a broken wrist while celebrating. The injury ended Henderson’s involvement in the tournament.

The German said the response of the England players had demonstrated the strength of their bond.

“That match had everything you could wish to see in football,” Tuchel said. “If you needed any evidence of how united these players are and how strong their relationship is, it was the moment Jordan Henderson went down and broke his arm.

“Within a second, everyone stopped celebrating. Every player gathered around him to protect him and show complete compassion. It was a very special moment.”

England’s World Cup run ended with a semi-final defeat by Argentina before they won the bronze medal in Miami on 18 July last year.

Speaking publicly for the first time since returning to England, Tuchel said the progress made by the team represented an excellent “foundation stone” for preparations for Euro 2028.

“I am very excited to work with these players, and excited to bring new young players into the camp so they can learn,” he said. “I think we took another step towards the top and we have already been there.

“It was very difficult to prepare for a World Cup in the United States, but it is possible to prepare more strongly for the Euros. We will use the top level of the Nations League to get ready.”

Tuchel said England’s next target was to play 10 more demanding matches, building on their World Cup record of eight wins, one draw and one painful defeat from 10 games in the United States.

“Everyone has the right to hold their heads high and move forward bravely and positively towards the challenges ahead,” he said. “We are now focusing on our four Nations League matches.”

England return to competitive action against world champions Spain on 26 September in the Nations League group stage.