Thomas Tuchel is presented as England’s new national coach in London. He tries to take the wind out of the critics’ sails with a confession. The smart German makes a huge impression – and has a big goal in mind.
A look at the history books of English football makes it clear what a great honor he has received: Thomas Tuchel is only the third foreign coach to be allowed to lead the “Three Lions”. Before him, this had only been granted to the recently deceased Swede Sven-Göran Eriksson (January 2001 to July 2006) and the Italian Fabio Capello (December 2007 to February 2012).
So it wasn’t just in the motherland of football that they were looking forward to Tuchel’s first appearance after the official announcement of the signing by the FA on Wednesday morning. Just a few hours later, the smart German presented himself at the launch in London – and immediately made a huge impression. “I am honored to be introduced here as the new England coach,” he began his statement. He had just read a quote from Pelé who said that Wembley was the heart of football, so he was happy to be presented at that very location in England’s capital.
“I quickly understood that it was a big job. However, I have also learned in the past that you shouldn’t compare anything. But it’s a privilege to be here,” continued the 51-year-old, wearing a gray jacket. “The FA made it clear to me that this was about football and when the timeframe up to the 2026 World Cup was announced I was fired up. I love what I do, I’m really passionate about it. This task made me feel a little younger again – because of the excitement. We want to introduce values, principles and rules so that the big dream can be achieved.”
A mega goal – for Tuchel and England
From the point of view of the long-suffering English fans, this still means winning the title for the first time since the 1966 World Cup. The fact that a foreign coach could now end the long wait was of course also a topic during the question and answer session on Wednesday afternoon. “I’m sorry, unfortunately I have a German passport. But my passion for England and English football in general is great,” Tuchel explained about the reservations of some fans and experts. He wants to continue what was recently built. “I will give everything, that’s what I demand of myself,” said Tuchel. He will “do everything to ensure that we first and foremost qualify for the World Cup and that we then have a successful World Cup. We will try to get the second star on our jersey.”
Ten candidates were shortlisted for the job, the FA said during the press conference. Tuchel, who was fired from FC Bayern in the summer, said he wanted to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the new task – and he also wanted to move his residence back to England. He loves the “way of life” there anyway.
Tuchel signed a contract on Tuesday that runs up to and including the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. It is not yet known whether the contract may extend to the 2028 European Championship through some clauses such as a positive performance in the global title fights. “I have good experiences with 18 months, unfortunately,” joked Tuchel – probably with a view to his involuntary end at Chelsea FC, which also lasted 18 months. He emphasized that he was working on holding out longer.
The project for the association, which has been without a title since winning the World Cup in 1966, begins on January 1, 2025. To date, the English selection has been coached on an interim basis by Lee Carsley. He took over the post after Gareth Southgate’s resignation following the 1-2 final defeat against Spain at the European Championships in Germany. “This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and been through everything,” Carsley said recently – basically outlining the profile that Tuchel fits. The German coach won the Champions League with Chelsea FC in 2021, and also won another ten titles during his time as a professional coach.
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