Thomas Tuchel is leading his England squad into a fifth successive quarter-final, a feat no other country has matched across the last three World Cups and two European Championships. This isn't just another game, it's a testament to a complete overhaul in mentality that has seen England become a team that expects to go deep into tournaments, a complete flip from how things used to be.
From Boat Trips to Dominance
Remember Euro 2016? England was set to face France in Paris, dreaming of a quarter-final, until they got absolutely stomped by Iceland in the last-16. That day was legendary for all the wrong reasons. Roy Hodgson split, after making the infamous decision to skip scouting Iceland in person, opting instead for a boat trip on the Seine with his assistant, Ray Lewington. Talk about a turning point! Since then, though, England has gone five out of five in the last-16 ties. Much of the credit has to go to Gareth Southgate, whose quartet of quarter-finals really set the stage for this new era. This team now expects to travel deep, a shift in mentality that shows up right from the start. Including Tuchel’s World Cup, England has topped their group in their last four tournaments, only losing once in 15 pool games. Winning the group tends to be the easiest way to the quarters, though in 2018, when they didn’t top it, it actually gave them an easier path to the last four because reigning champions Germany crashed out early.A New Breed of Quarter-Final Team
Historically, quarter-finals were England's absolute glass ceiling. But not anymore. In the last decade, they’ve become a team that can actually progress from them. If they beat Norway in Miami, they’ll have won four out of five. That’s a massive change! When Southgate’s side knocked out Sweden in 2018, it was England’s first quarter-final win in 22 years, their first on foreign soil in 28, and their first in 90 minutes since way back in 1966. That was a serious break from the past, especially after Sven-Goran Eriksson's three straight quarters were followed by just one more until 2018. This decade has shown England is way better at navigating knockout rounds, even without winning anything *yet*. That's why guys like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, John Stones, and Jordan Pickford have some of the most impressive records ever for England players in the business end of competitions. But let’s be real, under Southgate, their quarter-final victims were Sweden, Ukraine, and Switzerland. Good teams, sure, but none of the traditional superpowers. Now, Tuchel faces Norway, and this is a whole different beast. Norway knocked out Italy in qualifying and then Brazil in the last 16! They’ve got Erling Haaland, one of the best strikers on the planet, and they’re arguably one of the top 10 international teams out there. The crazy part? Norway has never been on this stage before. This is a huge test for England’s new mentality, and whether their success can keep on snowballing. Can they really take down a top-tier opponent in a quarter-final? We’re about to find out.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.