England wrap Florida camp with time off before flying to Kansas City for World Cup opener against Croatia
Thomas Tuchel grants his squad a day and a half off with only a ban on air travel, as England prepare to face Croatia in Dallas next Wednesday to open their Group L campaign.
Departure from Florida
England closed their pre-World Cup training camp in Florida with a relaxed approach from manager Thomas Tuchel. The squad received a day and a half of free time on Thursday and Friday, with the only condition being no air travel. Players have been able to go out in the evenings throughout the camp in West Palm Beach without being bothered or photographed, a deliberate choice to build cohesion and manage the North American heat.
The players are getting one and a half days off to relax and switch off, not only physically but mentally and then we start the next chapter.
The camp included two warm-up victories: a 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa and a 3-0 triumph against Costa Rica in Orlando. Tuchel expressed satisfaction with the intensity and adaptation to the climate, calling the Costa Rica performance a high level to end the preparation phase. The team now flies to Kansas City on Saturday, the base they hope to call home until mid-July.
Saka’s fitness under the microscope
Bukayo Saka enters the tournament managing an Achilles issue that caused him to miss a month of club football before helping Arsenal win their first Premier League title in 22 years. Tuchel said Saka is still not at 100 percent but is playing through discomfort at a high level.
Bukayo is still getting there, playing through discomfort at the end of the season. He is managing it and playing at a high level, but still not at 100 per cent.
Saka appeared as a substitute in the 63rd minute against Costa Rica and will need similar careful management once the campaign begins. With 49 England caps and 14 goals, the 24-year-old is vital for his country, though the workload is evident: 312 Arsenal appearances already place him in the club’s top 50 all-time.
The Group L road map
England open their World Cup against Croatia on 17 June at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The group stage then moves to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough for a meeting with Ghana on 23 June, followed by Panama at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 27 June. The team’s potential path, based on tournament seeding, shapes up as one of the most daunting in the draw.
- Group stage: England vs Croatia, AT&T Stadium, Dallas
- Group stage: England vs Ghana, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
- Group stage: England vs Panama, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
- Round of 32: vs third-place finisher Group E/H/I/J/K, Atlanta
- Round of 16: projected vs Mexico, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Quarter-final: projected vs Brazil, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- Semi-final: projected vs Argentina, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Final: projected vs Spain, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Topping the group would set up a round-of-32 match against a third-place finisher from Groups E, H, I, J or K, with Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Algeria or DR Congo possible. A quarter-final against Brazil in Miami could then follow, with Argentina likely waiting in the semi-final in Atlanta and top-ranked Spain projected for the final on 19 July at MetLife Stadium.
Morocco lose two starters
In other squad news, Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahabi has been forced to replace defender Nayef Aguerd and winger Abde Ezzalzouli ahead of the tournament. Aguerd has not played since early March because of a groin injury that required surgery and later revealed a pubic bone fracture. Ezzalzouli was hurt in a freak incident during a friendly against Norway when a team-mate landed awkwardly on him while defending a corner. Saudi-based defender Marwane Saadane and striker Amine Sbai have been called up as replacements.
