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For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.

Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.

Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”

The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.

The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Theme

Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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 squad selection.

It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity

His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.

What must 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.

Building a Brotherhood

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.

“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.

“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”