Thomas Tuchel agrees to become new England manager after former Chelsea boss approached by FA
15 October 2024, 19:08 | Updated: 16 October 2024, 07:12
Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel has agreed a deal to become the new England manager.
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The German will become the full-time replacement for Gareth Southgate, who resigned after England's defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 in July.
The 51-year-old guided Chelsea to the Champions League in 2021 but has been out of work since May following a stint at German giants Bayern Munich.
The former England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley has been in the role as an interim coach, overseeing three wins and a defeat since taking over from Gareth Southgate.
Tuchel is the third non-English manager to take the role after Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson previously occupied the position.
Read more: Ex-Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel 'in talks' to become next England manager
He was one of the bookmakers' favourites for the England job, along with, among others, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola, who has won a staggering 34 major trophies in his almost 20-year career in management, has been Manchester City manager since 2016, winning six Premier League titles in that time.
But with his contract at City set to expire next summer, the FA reportedly made informal contact with him over the prospect of becoming the England coach.
Along with the Champions League, Tuchel also led Chelsea to Super Cup and Club World Cup victory as well as winning league titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern.
Since his departure from the German side, he has been in demand from several of Europe’s leading clubs, notably Manchester United and AC Milan.
United reportedly held talks with Tuchel in the summer before extending Erik ten Hag’s contract, but United retained an interest in him.
During a short playing career, Tuchel played for Stuttgarter Kickers in the German second tier, Bundesliga 2, and SSV Ulm in the division below before quitting following a serious knee injury at the age of 24.
He told German newspaper Die Zeit that his playing style was "dynamic and forward-defending", while players were treated "in a certain way and ensure a harmonious atmosphere".
