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2026 FIFA World Cup
21MAY

Tuchel Runs Two XIs in England's 1-0 Win

3 min read
11:59UTC

Thomas Tuchel fielded 22 players across two separate elevens in England's 1-0 win over New Zealand, the first time England have done so in one match since 2004. Harry Kane scored the only goal.

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Key takeaway

Tuchel split England into two elevens days from kickoff, still searching for his strongest side.

England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on Sunday 7 June, with captain Harry Kane scoring the only goal before half-time 1. Head coach Thomas Tuchel fielded two entirely separate elevens across the two halves, using 22 players, the first time England have done so in a single match since June 2004.

"A lot of our players last played together in November," Tuchel said. "We had four training sessions together, then mixed the team up" 2. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were rested after Arsenal's title-winning season and Champions League final. The goal was Kane's 79th in 113 internationals, capping a season in which he scored 66 in 56 games for Bayern Munich, a German Cup final hat-trick among them 3.

The experiment marks how late England's picture remains. Tuchel has already cut Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer from his squad , and a two-XI friendly days before kickoff is the move of a coach still auditioning combinations rather than rehearsing a settled side. One warm-up remains, against Costa Rica in Orlando on Thursday 11 June, the day the tournament begins. England open against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June.

Deep Analysis

In plain English

England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on 7 June. Harry Kane scored the only goal before half-time. The unusual part was the team selection: manager Thomas Tuchel used 22 players, fielding a completely different starting eleven in each half, something England have not done since 2004. This was deliberate. Many England players had not played together since November, and Tuchel only had four training sessions with the full squad. The final warm-up is against Costa Rica on 11 June. England then play Croatia in their opening World Cup match on 17 June in Dallas.

What could happen next?
  • Risk

    England's second XI, playing against a New Zealand side that had already adapted to the first-half shape, produced no goals and limited creative threat. With Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka rested, the depth of England's attacking combination-play behind Kane remains untested under tournament-intensity pressing.

  • Opportunity

    Resting Rice and Saka after Arsenal's Premier League title-winning season and Champions League final run preserves two of England's highest-load players for the Croatia opener. Tuchel's load management is coherent regardless of whether the warm-up format generates useful tactical data.

Sources:BBC Sport·BBC Sport·BBC Sport
Mentions:England →New Zealand →Harry Kane →Thomas Tuchel →Declan Rice →Bukayo Saka →Costa Rica →Croatia →Arsenal FC →Tampa →Paris Saint-Germain →Dallas →ESPN →Wayne Rooney →Iceland →Trent Alexander-Arnold →World Cup →Munich →Champions League →Paris →Portugal →The Athletic →France →Didier Deschamps →
First Reported In

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BBC Sport· 7 Jun 2026
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Causes and effects
Caused by
Tuchel cuts Foden, Palmer and TAA
Tuchel's earlier cuts of Alexander-Arnold, Foden and Palmer shaped the squad selection Tuchel is now finalising through the two-XI exercise.
Occurred 22 May 2026
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This Event
Tuchel Runs Two XIs in England's 1-0 Win
England are still experimenting on selection days before the tournament, in contrast to settled rivals.
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