World Cup 2026: Thomas Tuchel says England will stick to Southgate penalty plan
England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that his team will follow Gareth Southgate's penalty shoot-out blueprint at the World Cup.Tuchel's side face DR Congo in their first knockout game of the tournament on Wednesday, a scenario that opens up the potential for a penalty shoot-out.The match from Atlanta at 17:00 BST is live on BBC One and the iPlayer.Prior to Southgate's appointment as England manager in 2016, the national team had a poor record in tournament shoot-outs - winning just one of seven.But under Southgate, England took their penalty preparations to a new level which resulted in the team winning three out of four shoot-outs.Tuchel had confirmed the team would continue with the processes established by Southgate."The FA has a programme that has been in place for years and we follow the programme," Tuchel said."We are prepared. We have a process, the players have a process."Despite the plan, Tuchel also added a note of caution."I think it is difficult to simulate the situation (of a penalty shoot-out)," he said."I heard Thierry Henry say he can't remember the walk from the halfway line to the penalty spot in his first penalty shoot out for France - you cannot train that."Asked if the players will be given the option to take a penalty, Tuchel replied: "We know who takes them and we know the order but we don't know who finishes the game."
