Tuchel prioritises Saka fitness management as England prepares for Costa Rica warm-up
Thomas Tuchel confirms Bukayo Saka is being built up gradually following a March muscle injury, while John Stones is available to start in the final pre-tournament friendly.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Bukayo Saka’s fitness is being managed with caution ahead of the 2026 World Cup, following a muscle injury sustained in March. The Arsenal attacker missed part of the domestic season climax but returned in time to help secure the Premier League title, though Tuchel noted the player was managed between matches during the club campaign.
Speaking at a news conference, Tuchel emphasised that Saka, who has scored 14 goals in 48 appearances for England, requires careful attention as the squad approaches the tournament. The coach stated that Saka was involved in recent training and is currently being built up, with his availability for the final warm-up match against Costa Rica on Wednesday subject to assessment.
Tuchel indicated that players may receive between 60 and 70 minutes of game time in the fixture against Costa Rica to build fitness before the tournament opener against Croatia. This approach follows the 1-0 victory over New Zealand, where the coach made 11 changes at half-time to manage workloads. John Stones, who played a peripheral role at Manchester City last season, is among those available to start and benefit from increased minutes.
Despite England reaching two European Championship finals in succession and reaching the semi-finals of the previous World Cup, Tuchel refused to label the team as heavy favourites. He compared England’s position to Wimbledon winning a major after a 60-year drought, describing the squad as competitors and challengers who must maintain a calm mindset and focus on incremental steps rather than external expectations.
The coach also expressed gratitude to the Football Association for allowing him to separate political issues from football preparations. The build-up to the tournament has been marked by visa controversies, including the denial of entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan and issues affecting participants from Iran. Tuchel stressed the need to avoid distraction, noting that the squad is focused solely on football amidst the politicised environment of the super-sized tournament.
