Thomas Tuchel appointed England manager

Thomas Tuchel was named England’s new manager on Wednesday, with the Football Association turning to the German to try to land their first major trophy since 1966.

Former Chelsea manager Tuchel will start in the role from January 1, 2025.

The 51-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, succeeds Englishman Gareth Southgate as permanent coach and becomes the third foreign manager of the Three Lions after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

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Tuchel, who has also coached Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, has the trophy-winning pedigree that the FA is seeking to help end a 58-year wait to win a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup on home soil.

The highlight of the German’s career to date came during his spell in English football when he won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021.

However, the FA’s move has drawn criticism over their unwillingness to trust an Englishman with its top job overseeing a richly-talented generation of players including Jude Bellingham who will be among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup.

Southgate resigned shortly after losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain in July, following an eight-year reign that made England a force again on the international stage.

Tuchel will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, who worked alongside him at Bayern.

“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” Tuchel said in a FA statement.

“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.”

Sky Germany reported he will sign an 18-month deal, taking him to the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.

– One of ‘world’s best’ –

Tuchel won league titles at PSG and Bayern and the German Cup with Dortmund, but his greatest success came during his time at Chelsea.

On top of leading the Blues to Champions League glory just months after taking charge, he also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the London club.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world,” said FA CEO Mark Bullingham.

“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.”

A self-confessed anglophile, Tuchel recently said he felt “more appreciated” in England than his homeland.

But he was sacked in September 2022 in a bold early move by Chelsea’s new ownership group that did not pay off.

Just six months later he was appointed Bayern boss and led them to an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title.

However, Tuchel also oversaw the demise of Bayern’s dominance of German football in a first trophyless campaign for 12 years last season.

England captain Harry Kane was signed by Tuchel for Bayern last year and scored 44 goals in 45 matches under his tutelage.

“Obviously, I know Thomas well from last year. Fantastic coach, fantastic person,” said Kane when asked about the possibility of a reunion.

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Lee Carsley was put in temporary charge of England in August following Southgate’s resignation and will remain in place for Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Greece next month.

However, the FA were keen to stress a shock 2-1 defeat to Greece last week played no part in their decision as Tuchel signed his contract on October 8, two days before that match.

Bullingham and Tuchel are set to face the media later at Wembley.

His appointment has not been universally welcomed as the Daily Mail labelled Tuchel’s arrival as a “dark day for England.”

The Sun though printed the English fans’ chant “it’s coming home” in German on its front page.