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Obsessed with tactics and unusual training methods, former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel hopes to guide England to victory as the national side’s first ever German boss
England’s first German manager has a trophy-winning record that stretches back to his school days.
Thomas Tuchel, 51, nicknamed The Professor because of his obsession with tactics, vowed to make the Three Lions’ World Cup dream come true as he was made their new £6million-a-year boss.
FA chiefs went through a list of 10 candidates before selecting the dad-of-two, who hails from the small Bavarian town of Krumbach, population 13,000.
At the age of nine, the future Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss wrote in his school yearbook how he loved football, swimming, listening to ABBA and AC/DC, and doing his homework. Five years later, aged 14, Tuchel helped his secondary school win the 1987 German schools championship.
Tuchel joined Augsburg as a teenager, then second tier Stuttgart Kickers and fourth division SSV Ulm but injury ended his career at just 25. Soon he was following in the footsteps of his dad Rudolf, his first manager from his school days. He often returns home to see his dad and mum Gabriele, a local councillor.
His old neighbour Walter Abter joked: “He is a good manager but you won’t win the World Cup. Germany will win the World Cup!”
Renowned for his unusual training methods, Tuchel prefers warm mineral water to beer and follows a vegetarian diet, noted by fans of sausage-loving Bayern Munich, his last club, where he managed England striker Harry Kane. They still do beer and schnitzel at the clubhouse in Krumbach where Tuchel is famed for getting results.
Christian Falk, head of football at Germany’s Bild newspaper, believes the FA has made a shrewd choice. He said: “This will be a very good story for you. This time a foreign manager could really work well for England.”
The national side’s third foreign boss after late Swede Sven Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, Tuchel has won nine major honours since he became a manager, most notably the Champions League with Chelsea.
Blues legend Pat Nevin told how Tuchel was with him at 4am after the team celebrated their 2021 triumph against Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola – also reportedly approached about the England job. Instead of partying, Tuchel was still discussing tactics.
Tuchel’s right-hand man with England will be Anthony Barry, a Liverpool-born star graduate from the UEFA Pro Licence course. He is currently working with the Portugal national team, and was with Tuchel at both Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
Critics claim that Tuchel can be a tough taskmaster. He was sacked by Chelsea in 2022, reportedly amid dressing room unrest. He split from his ex-wife Sissi, with whom he has two daughters Emma and Kim, two years ago and they divorced this year. Tuchel is now in a relationship with Brazilian company director Natalie Max, 37, and they were seen on holiday in Sardinia in the summer.
Some fans believe the England job should have gone to an English candidate, posting comments such as “Begging a German to manage us? embarrassing!” and: ‘A German managing England? Nein!’
After signing an 18-month contract to the end of the 2026 World Cup, Tuchel joked: “Sorry, I have a German passport.” He replaces Gareth Southgate, who resigned after eight years in charge following England’s loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
“I understood very quickly that is it is a big job,” Tuchel said. “I think always the job you are in is the biggest job and it makes no sense to compare, but it feels big and like a privilege. It is pretty obvious I am very emotional. I love what I am doing and am passionate about football. This role brought the young me alive and brought back my teenage days, to get excited for such a big task.”
“Everyone can be assured we will do it with passion and emotions. We will try to install values and principles and rules as quickly as possible to make the dream come true. I want to put the second star (for a World Cup win) on this shirt. We will work hard for the biggest target in football, making our dream come true at the World Cup 2026.”
FA chief Mark Bullingham confirmed English candidates were among the 10 interviewed. He said: “The whole process was confidential. I understand at times that may be frustrating for people, but we had to make that confidential for us but also really, more importantly for the candidates. We were absolutely delighted to end up with Thomas and we believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup, so we believe we’ve got the best candidate for the job.”
The Prince of Wales has wished Tuchel the best of luck, telling him: “We’re all behind you!” William, patron of the Football Association, said in a personal message posted by Kensington Palace’s social media: “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.”
Keir Starmer also welcomed Tuchel as England manager. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, he said: “I know the whole House will join me in wishing the best of luck to the new England manager Thomas Tuchel.” Mr Starmer, an Arsenal fan, went on to refer to Tuchel’s previous role as Chelsea manager. “I won’t hold his old job against him, but I wish him well in the new one,” he said.
The Prince of Wales, a passionate Aston Villa fan, cheered on the England men’s national team at Euro 2024 and praised Southgate for coping with the “most intense pressure and scrutiny”. He had created, William said, a “team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world ’s finest”.
His successor must now lead that team to glory at the World Cup, the toughest task of his managerial career, to end 60 years of hurt for millions of Three Lions fans.
