The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain boss has been officially named as the new head coach of the English men’s national team.
He joins the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, who, after a considerable number of years managing club sides throughout Europe, has now decided to make a foray into managing international teams. Pochettino recently signed a contract as the new head coach of the United States national team.
The 51-year-old German will officially begin the job on January 1, 2025, after signing an 18-month contract. It will run through the 2026 World Cup held in the United States. Interim boss Lee Carsley will remain in charge until then.
Tuchel’s appointment was sealed after English FA chief Mark Bullingham identified the German as a suitable replacement for the outgoing Gareth Southgate.
“This is a really exciting day for the English game. We’ve appointed one of the very best coaches in the world,” said Bullingham at Tuchel’s unveiling to the press. “Our aim is always to win a major tournament and we believe Thomas gives us the best possible chance to do that at the next men’s World Cup.”
Tuchel, who already spent one season in England as manager of Chelsea FC, went on to express his delight. “I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.”
The men’s English national team has had a long wait for a trophy, with their last major win coming 60 years ago at the 1966 World Cup. Gareth Southgate came close, leading England to back-to-back EURO Cup finals, although coming short both times.
Tuchel’s assistant coach has been named as Anthony Barry, where the pair originally first started working together at Chelsea. Tuchel convinced him to join him at Bayern Munich, where they were for another season.
Tuchel said on the subject “Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together.”
Not everyone was delighted with his appointment, with Tuchel receiving some pushback because he is not English. However, he vowed to show the fans how much he wanted to win with England.
“Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together” said Tuchel.
