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Thomas Tuchel has ruled out a revamp of England's playing style amid the baking heat of the World Cup - as it would mean sacrificing what makes the team special.

Since starting his job as head coach in January 2025, Tuchel has made a point of saying how much he likes the physicality of English domestic football and that the national side should make the most of that.

The 52-year-old's squad selections have followed his thinking with an emphasis on strength and powerful running when he picked his 26-man tournament squad.

"They want to be active with the ball," the German told BBC Sport about his England side before their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday (21:00 BST).

"We have a young group. We have a courageous group. We have a brave group of players.

"So let's go for it. I mean, no one guarantees you that we will win. So we want to at least try it, our style and our belief."

The temperatures in the USA, Mexico, and Canada are extremely high, and mandatory hydration breaks have been introduced in all matches, effectively breaking them into quarters.

Speaking at the news conference before the Croatia match, Tuchel said hydration breaks can "change the character of each half".

He acknowledged that the three-minute intervals give coaches a chance to "change and reset" during games while delivering "group messages".

Temperatures in Dallas will be more than 30 °C by the time England kick off their opening Group L game - but the effects of the heat will be reduced because the Dallas Stadium is one of the air-conditioned indoor venues being used at this World Cup.

Starting the tournament in that stadium has given Tuchel the belief that his side can impose their style on Croatia "because we play indoors".

But the England boss did reference the impact that the heat has had on his players at their Kansas City training base.

"Yesterday, it was very hot even here in training," Tuchel said.

"And we could feel that it has a greater impact than, for example, today. So let's see.

"I'm just not ready to adapt to a different style of football because of circumstances that we cannot influence. I think we would just give up our strengths."

Tuchel came to the US for last year's Club World Cup and, with the support team at the Football Association, used that tournament to plan England's World Cup preparation.

"Research about the Club World Cup showed us that the style is pretty much the same, but maybe the repetition is less often," he said.

"So maybe a player who has maybe 10 to 15% less sprints, less distance. It [the conditions] influenced the volume and the intensity, but the style of play not so much.

"In the end, we need to have an answer anyway to every scenario.

"So, will we be in possession a lot or will we attack a lot in the last third of the opponent? Will they push us back, and do we need to defend deep? We need to have answers to everything."

Tuchel also explained why he decided to call up Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah in place of the injured Tino Livramento, who had to pull out of the squad with a calf issue.

"Tino was, of course, very disappointed and very sad. All of us were," Tuchel said.

"It was kind of a shock in training, and when he stopped training, he had the feeling that this could be an injury that could cost him the tournament, and he was unfortunately right.

"We called Trevoh Chalobah because we can then free up Jarell Quansah as a full-back on both sides, and Djed Spence can be a full-back on both sides.

"Trevoh comes as a centre-back alternative and gives us full coverage in the back four."

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