Tuchel regrets not eating Azteca grass after England’s famous 10-man World Cup win over Mexico

Eating the Azteca grass? Thomas Tuchel says he should have done it. The England manager has told Goal he regrets not swallowing a piece of the sacred Estadio Azteca turf after the Three Lions’ famous 3-2 knockout win with ten men against co-hosts Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. It is an unusual confession from a coach better known for tactical rigour than sentiment, and it underlines just how much that night in Mexico City meant to him and to English football.

Tuchel’s unorthodox turf confession

Thomas Tuchel admitted he wishes he had eaten a piece of the Estadio Azteca pitch to physically preserve the memory of England’s 3-2 win over Mexico. Swept up in the delirium of a victory secured with ten men in front of more than 80,000 home fans, the German said he only grasped the scale of the occasion once the celebrations had died down.

Taking home a piece of turf is not unheard of in football, with players having pocketed grass from Wembley and the Maracanã over the years. Hearing it from Tuchel, though, is different. For a manager who has won the Champions League with Chelsea and titles with PSG and Bayern Munich, the Azteca, where Pelé and Maradona lifted the World Cup, clearly occupies a special place.

A heroic 3-2 win with ten men against the hosts

England beat Mexico 3-2 with ten men in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, holding firm in a hostile Azteca before finding the decisive moments to see off the co-hosts. It ranks among the most dramatic England results at a major tournament in the modern era.

The performance vindicated Tuchel’s approach with the national team: a compact block, collective discipline under pressure and the mental toughness to grind out results away from home. Those qualities were exactly what England were accused of lacking in previous tournaments, and the Azteca night went a long way to changing that perception.

What it means for Tuchel’s England project

Since replacing Gareth Southgate, Tuchel has been tasked with turning England’s golden generation of near-misses into winners, and the Mexico victory was a milestone in that process. Premier League stars such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have spoken about the belief that night gave the squad.

Tuchel has also been clear that nostalgia cannot get in the way of the next phase, which includes integrating younger Premier League talent and maintaining the defensive resilience shown in Mexico City. The grass confession is a light-hearted footnote to a serious rebuilding job.

Next up: UEFA Nations League A

England now turn their attention to UEFA Nations League A, with Tuchel keen to prove the 2026 World Cup campaign was a foundation rather than a peak. The Nations League offers competitive fixtures against Europe’s elite and a first look at how the squad handles expectation after the Azteca.

For supporters, the story of Tuchel’s Azteca regret is a reminder that even the most calculating managers can be reduced to fans in the biggest moments. Whether the turf-eating ever happens remains to be seen, but the memory of England’s ten-man triumph in Mexico City will not need preserving to last.

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