Thomas Tuchel has spoken of his pride after being named the first German manager of the England men’s national team.
Tuchel is just the third non-British coach to take charge of the Three Lions and the first since Fabio Capello.
England have been on the lookout for a new boss since Gareth Southgate resigned as manager following July’s Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain.
Interim coach Lee Carsley had taken charge of the first two international camps of the season, with the 50-year-old among those touted as a potential full-time candidate.
However, the FA have instead pursued a different route, with former Champions League winner Tuchel handed the reins.
Commenting on his new job, Tuchel said: “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.”
He added: “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 [Barry] 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.”
After eight years with Southgate, Tuchel’s appointment marks a new and exciting era for England.
On the appointment, FA CEO Mark Bullingham commented: “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 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.”
He continued: “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.”
Lee Carsley, who is set to return to his role as under-21s manager in the new year, will remain in charge for England’s final two Nations League matches next month.
England face a make-or-break clash against Greece in Athens before Carsley’s final match in interim charge comes at Wembley against Ireland – the team he made 39 caps for as a player.
