Anthony Barry, part of Thomas Tuchel’s coaching staff, believes North America’s conditions will challenge good football next June and July. He thinks the tournament will become a “tournament of moments.” The connection between players and a resilient mentality will drive success in this unique competition.
England will play their last two World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania in the next eight days. They have secured their place in the finals, and preparations are underway for the tournament. The coaching team has strategized on winning a summer competition, focusing on Chelsea’s success in the Club World Cup this July.
Tuchel experienced the heat during that tournament. He described it as “unbelievably hot” and noted the “hostile conditions for training and playing.” He and his staff want to learn from Chelsea’s successful campaign.
Barry says, “If we use the Club World Cup as a reference point, it shows European teams can win there. Most importantly, an English team can win there.” He adds, “In that heat and environment, a team will win.”
Despite focusing on a physically intense style, England’s coaches know they need a way of playing that works in heat and humidity. They have analysts studying the Club World Cup to find effective strategies. Barry states, “Many teams are working on this for us. Our job is to build a heat-proof game model that succeeds there.”
However, temperatures will not be the only challenge.
At the last World Cup in 2022, all of England’s matches took place in Doha or nearby. Their longest journey took about one hour by coach. Next summer, England may fly across an entire continent in pursuit of glory. They must play eight games instead of the seven it took Argentina to win three years ago.
Barry states, “Even if you build the best heat-proof model in America, the environment does not facilitate world-class football.”
He continues, “This tournament will focus on moments. You won’t see the best teams playing the best football. The winning team will thrive on moments. They will need to suffer and overcome obstacles together.”
Barry clarifies the mentality needed for success: “‘It’s hot? Bring it on.’ ‘Late flights? Bring it on.’ ‘Eight games instead of seven? Bring it on.’ ‘A storm prevents training? Bring it on.’ ‘Time zone differences? Bring it on.’ The winning team will be ready to suffer and overcome challenges together.”
Barry joined Tuchel’s staff last year after previously working with him at Chelsea and Bayern Munich. He has held three international roles with the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Portugal.
Barry says, “The number one characteristic of successful international teams is connection: to each other, to the game model, and to the mission. Connection drives all successful teams, especially in international football.”
He adds, “In international football, you cannot create a team that plays like the old Barcelona or recent Manchester City. However, if you foster a brotherhood, a connection, and energy among players, that becomes the fuel in international football.” This is what Tuchel, Barry, and the England coaches have focused on in recent months.
If the March and June gatherings served as learning opportunities, the next two camps will create an atmosphere for players and fans. Barry states, “The theme across these camps has been clear: show the identity of Team England to the world—players, staff, media, and fans.” He believes everyone should recognize the team’s identity by the end of these games.
Barry and Tuchel both want to “dominate every aspect of the game” and “conquer every meter of the pitch.” However, Barry recognizes how quickly football evolves. “In the last two years, the Premier League has transformed significantly compared to the previous six or seven years,” he says. “Our responsibility is to stay ahead of trends, surpass them, and create our own. This requires a daily problem-solving mentality.”
This quest for ideas and solutions will succeed only if the coaching staff communicates effectively with the players. The challenge lies in maximizing their limited contact time with the squad. Only one more camp remains after this one, next March, before they gather in May and June for final World Cup preparations.
Barry summarizes their goal: “This is the skill set Thomas and I possess to guide the process from start to finish.”
The hope is that England will play a style of football next summer that allows players to perform naturally. Barry emphasizes, “The England jersey should be harder than ever to earn but light to wear. To make it light, we must provide a style that enables movement and action, reducing overthinking. The shirt should feel like a cape, not body armor.”
When England gathered in September, the staff clearly outlined the game elements essential for success.
Barry highlights the central area of the pitch to illustrate his point. “In the middle area—those 24 meters (26 yards)—the game has stagnated, especially in the Premier League,” he observes. “Every team has become so skilled and knowledgeable about setting up mid-blocks and deep blocks. The game can really get stuck there. We aim to accelerate play across that 24 meters.”
This is the work Barry and the coaches will do with the players this coming week, again in March, and then across the Atlantic next summer.
Every effort has centered on the goal of “putting a second star” on the England shirt, joining the one that commemorates the team’s triumph at the 1966 World Cup. After discussions with Football Association technical director John McDermott last year, Tuchel and Barry quickly felt they could take on this challenge.
Barry reflects, “We sensed we could build something solid with this group—a foundation and character we truly valued. With the character we perceived in the squad and the clear mission to win the World Cup, everything aligned perfectly.”
