Anna 
Latvia manager Paolo Nicolato has hailed English football as the best in the world ahead of his team’s World Cup qualifier against England at Wembley on Monday.
The match marks the first-ever senior-level meeting between the two nations. England, ranked fourth globally, will look to build on their 2-0 victory over Albania in Thomas Tuchel’s debut match as head coach. Meanwhile, Latvia, ranked 140th, faces a formidable challenge.
“In the last 20 years, England has become the main league that we focus on,” Nicolato said. “It has changed the way football is played and improved the quality of players. There are always young talents emerging. English football is the best football in the world.”
Despite recognizing the difficulty of the task ahead, Nicolato remains determined. “We know we’re facing one of Europe’s best teams. We’re not here just to play—we have to prove ourselves,” he added.
Latvia began their qualification campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Andorra on Friday, but the match took a toll on the squad. Nicolato pointed out that the poor pitch conditions and the timing of Latvia’s domestic summer league have left his players short of peak fitness.
“The last match took a lot of energy. It wasn’t a happy pitch, and many of our players have only just started their season, so they are not yet fully fit,” he explained.
England will enter the match as heavy favorites, aiming to maintain their strong start under Tuchel and solidify their status as a top contender for next year’s World Cup.
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