Thomas Tuchel’s England delivered a throwback tactical display in their 2-1 World Cup victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attempting 35 open-play crosses in a single tournament match for the first time in nearly 60 years. The approach proved effective as the Three Lions recovered from conceding an early goal to claim only their second-ever comeback victory at the tournament.
The victory marked a significant psychological milestone. It was the first time in six decades that England have won a World Cup match after falling behind, with the 1966 final against West Germany the only previous instance. Prior to Wednesday’s match in Atlanta, England had lost 17 of the 22 matches in which they conceded the opening goal at the competition.
Historic crossing volume
The crossing statistics reveal a deliberate tactical shift under the German manager. England’s 35 open-play attempts against the DRC represent their highest total in a World Cup fixture since Sir Alf Ramsey’s side lifted the trophy in 1966. Seven of England’s ten highest crossing games in the competition’s history occurred under Ramsey, with other notable instances coming in 1982 and 1998.
While crossing is often criticised for inefficiency—across the previous 17 Premier League seasons, only 22.8 per cent of crosses find a teammate, with just 12.6 per cent creating a chance and 1.4 per cent becoming assists—the strategy has yielded results for this England squad. Open-play crosses have generated a higher expected-goal total than any other style of delivery for Tuchel’s side.
The numbers support this approach. England have created 20 big chances, the most of any team at the World Cup after Wednesday’s fixtures. Six of these originated from open-play crosses, more than from any other source. When including the three big chances created from corners, almost half of England’s best opportunities have come via wide deliveries.
Key connections
The success of this tactic depends on the quality of service and the finishing of captain Harry Kane. Anthony Gordon provided the cross from which Kane equalised against the DRC, attacking from the left flank. Earlier in the tournament, Jude Bellingham collected an assist from a very similar position when he set up Kane’s goal against Panama.
While passes between players outside the penalty area remain the most common source of created chances, and dribbles into the box occasionally produce goals—as seen when Bellingham drove forward against Croatia—the crossing game has provided the most reliable route to goal against stubborn opposition.
Tactical challenges ahead
The strategy addresses a specific problem encountered earlier in the campaign. England struggled to break down a solid Ghana defence in their goalless draw, finding it difficult to play through compact lines. Against deep-lying defences, passes into the box produce the highest-quality chances but are harder to complete.
This old-school approach may prove less necessary against stronger, more expansive teams who leave space behind their defensive lines, though England would enjoy less possession in such matches. For now, the direct method is generating goals and securing vital points in the group stage.