Latvia’s Coach Pablo Nicolato Calls English Football the ‘Best in the World’

Latvia’s manager Paolo Nicolato has praised English football as “the best in the world” in anticipation of his team’s World Cup qualifier clash at Wembley on Sunday.

Monday’s encounter will mark the first time these two teams have faced off at the senior level, with Thomas Tuchel aiming to build on his debut victory as the head coach of the Three Lions, having secured a 2-0 win against Albania on Friday.

England comes into the match ranked fourth in the world, while Latvia sits at a lowly 140th in the global standings.

Tuchel’s squad is considered a top contender for the upcoming World Cup, having made it to consecutive finals of the European Championships.

“Over the last two decades, England has emerged as the premier league that we focus on,” Nicolato remarked.

“It has transformed the way football is played, elevating the quality of players taking to the field.

“Particularly, there’s a consistent influx of emerging talents becoming standout players. There are plenty of young prospects. English football truly represents the best of the sport globally.”

He continued: “We recognise that we are set to face one of the elite teams in Europe. We’re not naive; we understand our own worth, and while football is unpredictable, we are not just here to make up the numbers; we aim to prove our capabilities.”

Latvia kicked off their qualifying campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Andorra, but they face an uphill battle against England, compounded by challenging pitch conditions and the struggles from their domestic summer league.

“The last match drained a lot of energy, particularly as the pitch conditions were far from ideal and many of our players have only just resumed competitive play in March, which means they aren’t fully fit,” Nicolato noted.