World Cup 2026: Desabre shifts pressure onto England ahead of knockout clash as Tuchel warns of fine margins

DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre says the pressure will be on England when the two sides meet in the Round of 32, insisting his team have already surpassed expectations at the tournament.

The Frenchman, speaking on Tuesday, described his side’s progress as a significant achievement, suggesting their campaign had already been a success regardless of what follows.

“Our World Cup is already a success relative to our goals,” Desabre said. “The pressure is on the England team.”

DR Congo have been one of the surprise packages of the competition, advancing from their group despite being widely tipped to fall short. Their progress has set up a high-profile knockout meeting with England, one of the pre-tournament favourites.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel, however, struck a more cautious tone despite acknowledging his side’s status as favourites going into the tie.

“I feel it is a privilege to be in these situations,” Tuchel said on Tuesday. “I think we can just accept it, we are the favourites.”

The German manager, who has overseen a steady campaign so far, warned that knockout football offers little margin for error.

“The games so far in the Round of 32 speak a very clear language. It’s narrow, narrow margins,” he added, highlighting the unpredictability that has already defined the early knockout stage.

With both teams approaching the fixture from contrasting perspectives—DR Congo embracing underdog status and England carrying expectation—the encounter is shaping up to be a tense tactical battle defined as much by mentality as quality.