Thomas Tuchel said England had defied the ghosts of previous major tournament disappointments by coming from behind to avoid a shock World Cup elimination at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Captain Harry Kane rescued the Three Lions with two late goals for a 2-1 win in Atlanta that sets up a meeting with co-hosts Mexico, who will have home advantage at the historic Azteca Stadium, on Sunday.
⏭️ Into the next round#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/mAYdlIfc9z
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 1, 2026
England are aiming to end a 60-year wait to win a major tournament.
This generation of players have come closer to glory than most, losing each of the past two finals of the European Championship.
But Tuchel said he saw no sign of his squad crumbling under the weight of expectation despite a horrendous start against a side ranked 46th in the world.
Brian Cipenga took advantage of slack England defending to fire the Congolese into an early lead, that they held until 15 minutes from time.
"This team today did not accept a defeat as an outcome," the German said in a post-match press conference.
"It would be so easy to give in, it would be so easy to accept the narrative. I didn't see any of that and that is a very, very good sign."
The former Chelsea boss added: "That makes me very proud because they did what was necessary. The going got tough today, they showed up and we got a deserved win, even if it was a late one."
Despite having cleared one hurdle, Tuchel's men face a devilishly difficult route to their aim of becoming world champions.
Brazil, Argentina and France could await in the final stages, even if they manage to inflict heartbreak on Mexico in front of over 70 000 home fans.
El Tri have won all four of their World Cup games so far without conceding a goal and also have the advantage of having acclimatised to the high altitude of Mexico City.
"It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, the most exciting fixtures that you can have. We play against Mexico in the Azteca," added Tuchel.
"The altitude will be, of course, a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It's just impossible.
"More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. We need it. Maybe we have the ideal platform now to genuinely believe that we are ready for that. When the going gets tough, we will find the answers."
'OUR CAPTAIN, OUR LEADER'
Not for the first time, Kane rode to his country's rescue.
A fifth goal of the tournament took his World Cup tally in total to 13 and kept the Bayern Munich striker in the star-studded battle for the Golden Boot.
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe lead the way on six goals. Erling Haaland also has five, with Ousmane Dembele and Vinicius Junior on four.
"They are all sharks. If they smell blood, they come and score," said Tuchel on the Golden Boot race.
"It's crazy. (Kane is) so, so good. He's our captain, he's our leader, and decides football matches with unbelievable finishes.
"Today, twice. The second one was just a brilliant goal."
It's what he does. 🏴#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6AuYf8Zhwv
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 1, 2026
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.