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Thomas Tuchel confirmed as new England manager
England have officially appointed Thomas Tuchel as their new permanent manager, following recent talks between the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach and the English FA.
Tuchel agreed to an 18-month contract, starting in January 2025, which will see him lead the national team through to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Tuchel’s appointment makes him the first German and third foreign manager to take charge of the England men’s national team, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
His track record of success at major European clubs, including winning the Champions League with Chelsea, was a key factor in the FA’s decision to pursue him.
Despite reported interest from Manchester United and AC Milan, England moved swiftly to secure Tuchel’s services.
His existing relationship with England captain Harry Kane, whom he brought to Bayern Munich, and his familiarity with many of the national team’s top players from his time at Chelsea were seen as added advantages for the role.
Tuchel’s appointment ends speculation over Gareth Southgate’s replacement, providing the team with a high-profile manager ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking about the decision to hire Tuchel, FA CEO Mark Bullingham said: “We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him. Our recruitment process has been very thorough.
“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.
“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.”
Lee Carsley will oversee England’s internationals in November before returning to his role as Under-21 manager.