Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as manager of England on a 18-month contract until July 2026.
Despite rumours linking him to the managerial position at Manchester United, Tuchel has accepted a 18-month contract from the FA until June 2026 to become the third permanent foreign manager of the Three Lions.
Following confirmation of his appointment as England manager, Tuchel spoke of his pride at taking up the position.
“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. 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.
Tuchel will be assisted by Anthony Barry and has vowed that the pair “… will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud.”
Tuchel will formally take up the position in January 2025 which means that interim boss, Lee Carsley will lead the team for next month’s Nations League trip to Greece then home game against Republic of Ireland.
This move also marks Tuchel’s first managerial appointment at international level, having previously managed Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea and Bayern Munich at club level.
Tuchel only won domestic titles with Dortmund, PSG and Bayern but during his 19-month spell at Chelsea, he took the Blues to international title success in UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
FA Chief Executive, Mark Bullingham is “thrilled” to welcome Tuchel as manager alongside Barry following a “very thorough” recruitment process.
Bullingham proceeded to explain that he and the FA had planned for Southgate’s potential exit, and how they chose the new permanent manager.
“Before the EUROs we had a contingency plan and outlined exactly the qualities we would be looking for in a coach.
“Since Gareth resigned, we have worked through the candidate pool, meeting a number of coaches and evaluating them against that criteria. Thomas was very impressive and stood out with his vast expertise and his drive.
“Anthony is a top English talent and also has international experience with Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Portugal.
“Fundamentally we wanted to hire a coaching team to give us the best possible chance of winning a major tournament, and we believe they will do just that.
“Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026.”
Bullingham also confirmed that Carsley would return to the Under-21s setup and praised him for his work.
“I would like to thank Lee for stepping up and doing everything we asked of him – he is a very talented coach and a major part of our England pathway.
“He will now focus on retaining the U21 EURO title in the summer. These are exciting times for England fans at senior and MU21 level, and we look forward to welcoming Thomas and Anthony when they begin work in January.”
Tuchel’s appointment also got the royal seal of approval from FA President, Prince William.
Exciting times for @England, with a generation of talented players and a new manager taking the reins.
Thomas, wishing you the best of luck, we’re all behind you! W https://t.co/OpLRaYitoL
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 16, 2024
Captain, Harry Kane previously worked with Tuchel at Bayern Munich last season in which he scored 44 goals in 45 appearances, and is pleased to once again work with the German, this time at international level.
Looking forward to playing under the boss again! https://t.co/mIQOhWKNMz
— Harry Kane (@HKane) October 16, 2024
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