England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised his players' mentality and resilience after they came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday, booking a place in the FIFA World Cup round of 16.
England trailed from the seventh minute before captain Harry Kane struck twice in the closing stages to complete the turnaround and keep the Three Lions' World Cup campaign alive.
England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel gestures during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 match football between England and the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 1, 2026. (Photo: AFP)
Tuchel said his side never lost belief despite spending much of the match behind on the scoreboard.
"This team never accepted defeat as the outcome," the German said. "It would have been so easy to give in. It would have been so easy to accept the narrative. But I didn't see any of that, and that is a good sign."
The former Chelsea manager said he was especially pleased with the way his players responded when the pressure mounted.
"That makes me very proud because the players did what was necessary. The game got tough today, but they showed up and we deserved the win, even if it came late. It just shows you the level of determination, the level of belief and also the level of focus."
The match remained tense for most of the game, as DR Congo showed outstanding defensive discipline after going ahead, leaving England with few answers for long stretches. Tuchel acknowledged that DR Congo had produced a disciplined and courageous display, making life difficult for one of the tournament favorites.
"They defended with enormous commitment and made things very uncomfortable for us. We had to stay patient, keep believing and continue pushing because there was never going to be an easy solution."
The coach added that his team grew stronger after the break and eventually earned the result through persistence.
England's forward #09 Harry Kane shoots and scores his team's second goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 match football between England and the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 1, 2026. (Photo: AFP)
"We increased the pressure in the second half, created more chances and never stopped believing. We have to have that mindset if it is getting hard, it is getting hard, but don't lose patience and don't lose belief. In the end, I think we fully deserved to go through."
Looking ahead to Sunday's round of 16 clash with co-host Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, Tuchel admitted England would face another demanding test.
"The altitude will, of course, be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It's simply impossible. There may be more obstacles ahead, but we are ready for them," Tuchel said.