The normally reserved Thomas Tuchel has spent two consecutive World Cup matches shouting and stomping around England’s sideline.
Mauricio Pochettino is a brilliant 2-0 on home soil, while embracing all the great things about representing the United States in the biggest sports tournament in history.
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Did England hire the wrong head coach to finish what Gareth Southgate started?
Would left-at-home Cole Palmer or Phil Foden have broken through Ghana’s packed low block on Tuesday night before a soaked crowd of 63,983 at Gillette Stadium?
It’s a little early for vicious second guessing in this massive World Cup, especially considering that Harry Kane’s team sits atop Group L and downed Croatia 4-2 just a week ago.
But England’s passive, slow and super-frustrating 0-0 draw vs the No. 64-ranked team in the world was an eerie reminder of everything that has suppressed one of the globe’s greatest football countries for decades.
It also led the national TV broadcast after halftime to mentioning the Boston Tea Party and America declaring independence 250 years ago, on a night when patience was replaced by panic.
“Our plan was to block and frustrate them from the first minute. We did it,” Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said.
Kane failed to stand out at crucial moments, then missed a golden opportunity in the final minutes.
Jude Bellingham became more and more frustrated, partly because Ghana’s strict defense refused to crack.
“Frustrated a little bit with how they defended, how they set up,” Bellingham said. “They got exactly out of the game what they played for.”
Compare England’s mounting tension and inner stress to what Folarin Balogun, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson have produced during USMNT’s initial two matches, and it’s obvious which team is playing free and open in the 2026 World Cup.
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US Soccer has also won two matches by a combined 6-1, despite Christian Pulisic being ruled out 90 minutes before the Group D clincher.
“Even if I am not American, after the game I was emotional because the atmosphere was amazing, the fans were amazing,” said Pochettino, after USMNT blanked Australia 2-0 and started preparing for the Round of 32.
“The warm reception and the way they support us and the way they celebrate the victory, they make you feel very emotional and the players are very emotional, too. I think it was an amazing and perfect connection between the energy in the stands and the team, and I think this makes us feel very proud because to connect with the people is what we wanted.”
Of course, there’s no real rivalry between USMNT and England in 2026 — unless they end up reuniting in the quarterfinals.
But Pochettino has undoubtedly gotten the best out of a roster filled with Premier League non-superstars and MLS role players, while Tuchel has only seen the best of England in the second half vs Croatia — and that required an inspired halftime speech that challenged his team’s intensity.
Throw in the fact that Ghana deserved a penalty kick after Ezri Konsa’s desperate tackle in the second half, and the initial view of USMNT and England in the 2026 World Cup has created a polar opposite.
Coming to America
Pochettino’s team is oozing confidence and chemistry, lifting up a buzzing World Cup that has already been better than all the haters predicted.
USMNT doesn’t have a Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, but the USA has been one of the sharpest and most thrilling teams on the pitch, and absolutely rocked two NFL stadiums.
If Pochettino’s squad just makes the quarterfinals, soccer is guaranteed a tremendous leap forward in the United States and 2026 will be forever cemented in the country’s sporting history.
Passive England played in the Premier League-like rain on a decent-weather night near Boston, yet couldn’t find the back of the net vs Ghana.
The Three Lions should be much better than this.
But some of the proudest football supporters in the world were again forced to ask when all of England’s overwhelming talent would finally be enough to win another World Cup.
Tuchel should hit play on a USMNT TV replay to show his team how this soccer tournament is supposed to be played.
Fast, passionate and free.
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