England has turned to German coach Thomas Tuchel in a renewed effort to end its 60-year wait for a second World Cup title, placing its hopes in a manager whose appointment initially sparked mixed reactions.
The decision to appoint Tuchel was not universally welcomed. At his official unveiling in 2024, the former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach jokingly referred to criticism over his nationality, saying, “I’m sorry I have a German passport.” He had been greeted that morning by critical headlines in the British media.
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Despite the backlash, Tuchel’s record as a Champions League-winning coach in three countries and England’s previous experience with foreign managers-including Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello-strengthened his case. There were also reports linking Pep Guardiola to the role before Tuchel’s appointment.
Tensions were further shaped by the long-standing football rivalry between England and Germany, although debate over Tuchel’s nationality quickly eased due to his media approach and England’s perfect World Cup qualifying run.
According to academic Jan Rüger, author of Great Powers: A History of Britain and Germany, the reaction reflects improved Anglo-German relations, noting that such an appointment would have been “unthinkable” in the 1990s.
Tuchel is the 14th coach tasked with ending England’s trophy drought, which dates back to their 1966 World Cup win. His predecessor Gareth Southgate led England to back-to-back Euros finals and a World Cup semifinal but faced intense criticism, including abuse during Euro 2024.
Tuchel has made bold squad decisions, excluding high-profile players such as Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while including 35-year-old Jordan Henderson.
England captain Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice remain central to his plans. Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League title and PSG to the final, said success depends on team unity rather than individual talent.
“I love the difficult decisions because they bring clarity and edge,” he said. “We will always try to select and build the best group, not just collect the best talents.”
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo said the squad believes it can win the tournament.