Paul Gascoigne said on Wednesday he hopes England can reproduce the same «incredible» team spirit as the 1990 World Cup squad in their quest for glory at this year’s tournament.
The former midfielder was a key member of Bobby Robson’s team, which reached the semi-finals in Italy before losing on penalties to eventual champions West Germany.
England have only won the World Cup once, on home soil, 60 years ago, and the only time they have reached the semi-finals since 1990 was when Gareth Southgate’s side reached the last four in 2018.
“You want 11 captains on the pitch and when you’re playing in a match like that, at a World Cup, you can’t afford to carry anyone,” Gascoigne said. ITV.
“Everyone has to have the ball and team spirit is important.
“The players who didn’t play were right behind the team, so our team spirit was incredible.
“The most important thing is team spirit, because that will take you a long way.”
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Thomas Tuchel’s men face Costa Rica in their final friendly on Wednesday before opening Group L against Croatia in Dallas on June 17.
When asked what he would say to the current squad, Gascoigne, 59, added: «Enjoy it. Because you never know it could be your last World Cup.»
Gascoigne broke down in tears after being shown a yellow card in the 1990 semi-final, meaning he would have been banned for the final had England qualified.
His life has been blighted by addiction problems, but Gascoigne said in his speech after the publication of his new autobiography: ‘We are all well.
“It’s probably the happiest I’ve been in about five years, for sure, you know.”
As for his autobiography, he said, “Many people have come to me and said they read it and (it) saved their lives.
«If that book can save one person’s life then I’ve done my job,» while Gascoigne joked, «I think I should read it myself, you know! Do myself a favour.»
He added: «Every morning I don’t think about tomorrow because that’s another day. I just try to keep it day-to-day, keep it simple. Some days I find it hard.»
Published on June 10, 2026
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