The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England head coach might undoubtedly divide opinion, not least because of his nationality.
Yet if the Football Association was prepared to look abroad for Gareth Southgate’s successor, it is not a surprise the German has been chosen, whatever the rivalry with his homeland.
The former Chelsea boss – who the FA on Wednesday confirmed will be handed the reins of the senior men’s national team from January 1 – ticks many of the boxes any ambitious outfit would look for in a new manager.
He is regarded as one of the best in the business, boasting considerable experience at elite level and with significant success under his belt, including in the Champions League.
On top of that, the timing of hiring the German seems to be perfect as the 51-year-old was available after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season.
It is relatively rare for national associations to prise figures of such stature from powerful clubs in the modern game and the FA clearly felt the time was right to strike before he was snapped up elsewhere.
Tuchel, who hails from Bavaria, began to carve out his path in coaching after being forced to cut short his lower-level playing days by a knee injury in his mid-20s.
Thomas Tuchel. Our #ThreeLions head coach from 2025. 🏴
— England (@England) October 16, 2024
He started as an academy coach at fourth-tier SSV Ulm, progressing to Stuttgart Under-19s and further roles with Augsburg and Mainz before becoming first-team boss at the latter in 2009.
It was there he proved himself as one of German football’s brightest young coaches, establishing the newly promoted club in the Bundesliga with a highest placing of fifth and taking them into Europe.
He succeeded Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund in 2015 and took them to cup success before going on to win Ligue 1 twice and reach a Champions League final in charge of Paris St Germain.
He went one better and won Europe’s top club prize with Chelsea in 2021 and also scooped up the Club World Cup before winning the Bundesliga with Bayern in 2023.
Detractors may have concerns about how his last three jobs ended, with clear disharmony between Tuchel and the hierarchies at both PSG and Chelsea, while results tailed off at Bayern amid reported dressing room unrest.
Nevertheless, he has proved himself a strong character with a winning mentality and a good record. He has worked with top-level players – including England captain Harry Kane – and is a strong proponent of modern high-intensity football.
He will certainly not have come cheap and his outspoken nature could rub some people up the wrong way, but the FA clearly sees that as a gamble worth taking.
