Thomas Tuchel has lifted the lid on the lesser-seen side of international football by revealing the "whole thing going on" behind the scenes as England prepare to face New Zealand.
The Three Lions continue their World Cup build-up in the United States tonight, with Tuchel's side taking on New Zealand before a final warm-up fixture against Costa Rica.
England then begin their tournament campaign against Croatia on June 17, with supporters eagerly trying to work out how Tuchel intends to line up his team.
Recent attention has focused on England's World Cup squad numbers after fans attempted to decode the allocations for clues about the manager's preferred starting XI.
However, Tuchel has now explained that the process is far more complicated than many people realise.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the England manager admitted he played only a limited role in the final decisions and revealed there are numerous factors involved before numbers are assigned.
"It is and it is not," Tuchel said when asked whether the squad numbers carry significance.
"I was not very much involved in these numbers. Way less than you might imagine."
Thomas Tuchel has lifted the lid on the lesser-seen side of international football by revealing the "whole thing going on" behind the scenes as England prepare to face New Zealand
|GETTY
The German explained that while he did make one or two adjustments, most of the discussions revolved around player requests.
"They sent me the list and I think I had an opinion on one or two numbers that we then changed," he said.
"But there's a whole thing going on."
Tuchel then revealed the negotiations that often take place behind closed doors.
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England's record at the World Cup | GETTY/ GB NEWS"Players have wishes for their numbers," he explained.
"They want to keep the numbers that they had in former tournaments. They want to keep their number from the club."
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager suggested modern football has moved away from the traditional numbering system many supporters grew up with.
"The times of one to 11 are behind us," Tuchel added.
"I was a big fan of that, but this does not exist anymore."
While squad numbers have generated discussion among fans, Tuchel's focus remains firmly on preparing England for the challenges ahead.
One player who has particularly impressed him during the training camp in Florida is captain Harry Kane.
The Bayern Munich striker arrives at the World Cup after another prolific campaign and has immediately caught the eye in training.
Thomas Tuchel has lavished praise on Harry Kane ahead of England's showdown with New Zealand
| PA"He's in top shape and ready to go," Tuchel said. "I think we don't have to be worried about him at all, even if it is hot and humid."
Tuchel also highlighted Kane's influence on the rest of the squad.
"He just showed me the whole week that he is ready, he's determined," he said.
"He also got titles, he was so influential in Bayern Munich's campaign. He is our key player.
"He looks lean, sharp and he trains at the highest level.
"We had a defensive training session and he was leading the intensity."