Marc Guéhi Leaves Worries Behind, Earning Tuchel’s Confidence and Claiming His Three Lions Spot

For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.

Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.

Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”

The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.

The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”

Belief as the Central Idea

Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.

It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity

Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.

What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.

Creating a Brotherhood

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.

“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”

Looking Ahead

That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.

“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”