Agbonlahor: Tuchel should resign if England fails to beat Mexico in World Cup

talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor believes the "Three Lions" coach should voluntarily step down if England fails to eliminate Mexico.

Although England did not play easily, they still found a way to defeat a resilient Congo team, setting up a Round of 16 clash with hosts Mexico.

Tuchel's team will travel to the iconic Azteca Stadium on Monday morning to face an in-form Mexico, with the match broadcast live on talkSPORT, as England hopes to keep their FIFA World Cup dream alive.

This Round of 16 encounter has been heavily discussed due to Mexico's home advantage and their better adaptation to Mexico City's high-altitude environment.

England started strongly in the FIFA World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, but their form declined in subsequent matches, barely scraping a win against DR Congo midweek.

Now that the knockout stage is in full swing, Tuchel has no second chances on football's biggest stage. A Round of 16 exit would be unacceptable for fourth-ranked England.

For former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor, the thought of losing that match at the Azteca Stadium is hard to bear.

Pack your bags

Agbonlahor recently stated that if the German coach failed to lead England to the FIFA World Cup final, the FA should sack Tuchel and replace him with Eddie Howe.

Tuchel initially signed a short-term contract with England until the end of the FIFA World Cup, but this contract was extended before the tournament began.

Now Agbonlahor's stance has gone a step further. He believes that if England loses to Mexico in the Round of 16, Tuchel should start writing his resignation letter.

When asked if Tuchel would have been sacked by the time he appeared on 'Sports Breakfast' on Monday if England lost, Agbonlahor said: "No, I think it would be the next day."

When subsequently asked if Tuchel would resign, he replied: "I hope so.

He continued: "If we lose to Mexico... Look, high altitude, playing at home, historical record, I understand all of that.

"But we still have to beat Mexico.

"He was brought in, on millions of pounds in salary, to win the FIFA World Cup or the Euros.

"If he can't do it, then goodbye. Who's next?"

Tuchel's appointment as England manager, succeeding Gareth Southgate, came as a surprise to many.

The German coach quickly delivered results, leading the Three Lions to eight wins out of eight in qualifiers without conceding a goal, quickly winning over his doubters.

Tuchel has repeatedly proven his ability to make crucial adjustments at key moments, helping England turn things around.

So far, Tuchel's tenure with England has been relatively smooth, but the FIFA World Cup seems to be the real test. England has only played to their true potential for half the time in matches so far.

When asked what the best thing Tuchel has done for England since taking over was, Agbonlahor said: "Against Croatia, the second half. His use of attacking substitutions and in-game adjustments."

"I like his passion, and I like him as a person.

"I think everyone would agree that if we go out in the Round of 16, and Gareth Southgate was heavily criticized for not getting over the final hurdle – we reached a final and a semi-final –

"Then how can we say, bad luck, high altitude, it's okay. Let's try to win the Euros.

"No, we need to find someone who can do it.

"How many more generations have to wait? We've become a laughingstock."

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