Four goals past a Croatian side that played with real spirit. An impressive 22 shots, half of which were on target. Only Germany, in their match against underdogs Curacao, have managed a higher xG at the tournament so far.
England’s figure of 3.21 against the Vatreni shows just how effective Tuchel’s team was going forward.
Yes, they were certainly helped by an unfortunate foul by Luka Modric, after which Harry Kane had two chances to convert from the penalty spot. Croatia also scored twice. But you can’t deny that England looked fresh and followed the motto: the best defence is attack.
The first half didn’t look all that special from England. You could still see elements that characterised the Three Lions under Roy Hodgson and Gareth Southgate: an emphasis on stability and good organisation, especially at the back.
But something changed in Arlington...
Something significant happened at half-time.
"Let the shackles off, calm down, what are we scared of? Let's just go," were the words Tuchel said to his players, according to captain Kane.
Straight forward!
While the conservative Southgate found success during his spell as manager, his era was often marked by cautious attacking play. During the second half against Croatia, Tuchel commanded more going forward from his players.
He took the responsibility on himself and told the players they could play with freedom.
"A much more offensive philosophy was on show immediately in the second half, with England pressing much more effectively and launching counters far quicker when the opportunity presented itself, getting up the pitch and pinning Croatia down in rapid fashion - that style seems to be what Tuchel wants from his team more often.
"England's goals were split between set-pieces and fast breaks, which are key to how Tuchel wants to win games, especially against the tougher teams at the World Cup," noted Ali Pollock, editor of Flashscore's UK news desk.
What followed was a real show, and Croatia simply couldn’t keep up. While in the first half England only scored from set pieces, after the break there were deadly quick counters and maintained pressure around the opposition box.
12 new names
Is this really a different England? If you look at the squad, you’ll see that compared to Euro 2024, there are 12 new names in the team.
The starting line-up from the European Championship final has seen five changes for the opening match at the 2026 World Cup. Only Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and of course Kane remain.
Yes, Tuchel has built the team his own way and left out the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer or Phil Foden.
But he has managed to find a new engine for the midfield. One of the key roles has gone to Elliot Anderson.
The midfielder, who plies his trade at Nottingham Forest, distributed both short and long passes after winning the ball, opening up space for England.
Thanks to that, the likes of Noni Madueke and the aforementioned Bellingham were able to shine. The former completed eight out of nine passes in the attacking third, while the latter had 41 touches, produced three shots and scored the winning goal – after a quick counter-attack, which was assisted by Anderson.
England simply look very confident. And that second star Tuchel spoke about may not be out of reach. He used this symbol in his motivational speech when the squad for the World Cup was announced – the players have a gold star above the badge on their shirts from the 1966 World Cup. And a second one next to it would certainly suit the English.
It’s now 60 years since the Three Lions won the World Cup. But 1966 was also the last time England won a World Cup match 4-2. That was in the final against Germany.
When the World Cup was first held in the USA in 1994, England were absent. This time, they weren’t going to miss the biggest tournament. And Tuchel has started his tenure on the big stage in impressive fashion…