Will Tuchel risk Rice? Partey handshake dilemma & Rashford v Gordon | England v Ghana Preview

England are flying high after an emphatic 4-2 opening-day victory over Croatia, but can Thomas Tuchel keep the momentum going? In this episode of Make Football Great Again, Harry Brent is joined by The Mirror's Chief Football Writer, John Cross, fresh out of Tuchel's pre-match press conference. John gives us the inside track on the mood in the camp ahead of Tuesday’s crucial World Cup clash against Ghana. A win guarantees England top spot in the group—but history shows the second game is always a banana skin. We dive deep into Declan Rice’s ongoing injury management after playing an obscene 63 games this season, the tactical selection dilemmas on the left wing between Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon, and why John Stones remains indispensable to Tuchel's blueprint. Plus, we address the highly uncomfortable Thomas Partey handshake controversy and break down how England plan to stop Ghana’s dangerous superstar, Antoine Semenyo. Will England secure back-to-back World Cup opening wins for only the fourth time in history? Let us know your score predictions in the comments below! 👇 ⏱️ Episode Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Massachusetts: Inside the England Camp 00:32 – Croatia Aftermath: Has the World Cup Tension Lifted? 02:51 – The Complacency Trap: Avoiding Past Tournament Slumps 05:19 – A Rare Record: Can England Win Their First Two Games? 06:44 – Declan Rice Injury Alarm: The Lower Back & Hamstring Issue 08:37 – 63 Games and Counting: Player Burnout & Squad Rotation 10:15 – Tuchel’s "Reverse Beret" on World Cup Hydration Breaks 11:51 – The Defensive Dilemma: Why Marc Guéhi is Being Left Out 13:50 – Rashford vs. Gordon: Who Wins the Left-Wing Battle? 15:45 – Harry Kane Chasing Messi, Mbappé, and the Ballon d'Or 17:38 – The Thomas Partey Controversy & The Pre-Match Handshake 20:32 – Stopping Antoine Semenyo: The Familiarity Advantage 21:54 – John Cross's Official Predicted England XI vs. Ghana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices