Tuchel: I Regret Not Eating Grass After the Mexico Match

German manager Thomas Tuchel made a peculiar statement, admitting that he regrets not eating the grass at the Azteca Stadium after England’s victory over Mexico during the World Cup. Tuchel’s side defeated one of the host nations 3-2 in Mexico City, despite playing with ten men after Jarrell Quansah was sent off, in a dramatic Round of 16 match in July. England’s combative performance in the raucous atmosphere at the Azteca Stadium was one of the standout moments of their World Cup campaign, which ended in disappointment with a semi-final loss to Argentina.

Tuchel said that the win over Mexico, secured by a heroic defensive display, forged a strong bond between him and the players. The German manager was so elated that he considered taking a bite of the Azteca Stadium’s grass. He said: “I sent a message to a friend after the match and wrote only that I regret not eating some of the grass afterward, so I could keep something of that experience inside me forever. That was the feeling. That was the moment.”

Tuchel believed the English team’s spirit was evident after the Mexico match when midfielder Jordan Henderson fell awkwardly while jumping over an advertising board during the celebrations, resulting in a broken arm. In an interview with the English Football Association conducted by former striker Daniel Sturridge, Tuchel said: “That match had everything you could wish for.” He added: “If you needed any proof of what that match meant to those players and of the nature of their relationship, it was embodied in the moment Jordan fell and broke his arm.” He continued: “Within a second, the players were there. Every player was there. They stopped the celebrations and formed a shield around Jordan to protect him, and no one left him, with complete empathy. It was truly special.”

Tuchel hopes to harness that spirit during the qualifiers for Euro 2028, a tournament that England will co-host.