Tuchel appointed England manager

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed England manager from 1 January 2025.

The 51-year-old German becomes the third non-British permanent manager of the men’s team after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Gareth Southgate resigned in July after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Lee Carsley, who was appointed interim manager in August, will remain in charge for the Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland next month.

English coach Anthony Barry will be Tuchel’s assistant.

The Football Association said Tuchel was the “preferred candidate” from the “several candidates” interviewed.

It said the FA board approved the decision last week and Tuchel signed a contract on 8 October.

“The announcement was delayed to minimise distraction around the international camp that has just concluded,” a statement read.

FA CEO, Mark Bullingham on the appointment of Tuchel as England manager, 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 [Southgate] 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 [Carsley] for stepping up and doing everything we asked of him – he is a very talented coach and a major part of our England pathway.”

Tuchel, quoted in the FA statement, announcing his appointment, stated, “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. 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.

“Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together.”

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