Thomas Tuchel has agreed to terms with the Football Association (FA) to become the next England manager, as reported by Jonathan Northcroft, Paul Joyce, and Matt Lawton of The Times on Tuesday.
Tuchel, 51, is expected to be officially introduced during a media event at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, where he will be announced as the permanent replacement for Gareth Southgate. Southgate stepped down earlier this year after eight years in charge, following England’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Tuchel’s appointment marks a significant moment in England’s football history, as he will become the first German-born coach to lead the national team. His predecessors, Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson, were also foreign hires, hailing from Italy and Sweden, respectively.
Prior to Tuchel’s agreement, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City had been considered a candidate for the role. Other English coaches in the mix were Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, according to sources who spoke to James Olley of ESPN. Interim coach Lee Carsley, who had previously ruled himself out of contention for the full-time role, stressed that nationality should not determine the next manager’s selection.
“I think it’s important that the best candidate gets the job,” Carsley said. “We’ve seen in the past that we’ve had different nationalities coach the team. The best candidate should get the job.
Tuchel is widely regarded for his tactical acumen, having led Bayern Munich to a Bundesliga title in the 2022-23 season before leaving the club in 2024. His most notable achievement came in 2021, when he guided Chelsea to the Champions League title. However, his time at the London club ended the following season amid tensions with owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
Having been linked to the Manchester United managerial position in recent years, Tuchel has stated that he has felt greater appreciation in England than in his home country of Germany. “I feel that we are very critical with each other in Germany and especially with players or coaches and not only with me,” Tuchel told *ESPN* earlier this year. “Pretty simple question … I felt more appreciation in England, yes.”
Tuchel’s imminent appointment follows Southgate’s long tenure, during which he led England to the Euro 2020 final and the semifinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
