Thomas Tuchel confirmed as England's new manager and will become Three Lions' third foreign coach

16 October 2024, 09:42 | Updated: 16 October 2024, 11:19

Thomas Tuchel has been confirmed as England's new manager, becoming the Three Lions' third foreign coach.

The German, who has also previously managed Paris St Germain, becomes only the third non-Englishman to hold the post after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Labelling it an "honour", the German manager explained taking up the role ahead of England's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is a "huge privilege".

Gareth Southgate's successor had been in talks with the FA in recent weeks, with the decision to recruit Tuchel approved by the FA Board early last week according to reports.

Tuchel will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, who is currently the assistant manager for the Portugal national team under Roberto Martínez.

Football journalist reacts to Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England men’s coach

The pair had previously worked together at both Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Following the news, the Prince of Wales has wished the Three Lions' new boss 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."

Tuchel will officially take up the role on 1 January 2025 ahead of England's qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

Following the announcement, the England team's official X account on Wednesday news: "Thomas Tuchel. Our #ThreeLions head coach from 2025. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿"

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England's new head coach said following the announcement: "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."

The 51-year-old, who will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, will take up the role on January 1 ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, who managed the England squad from 2001-2006, had 67 in charge - winning 40, drawing 17 and losing 10.

Under his management, the side scored 128 goals, conceding 61.

In contrast, Fabio Capello, who managed England between 2007-2012, was in charge for 42 games, winning 28, drawing eight and losing six.

The side scored 89 under his premiership, conceding 35 goals with a win ratio 66.7 percent.

It comes after the Football Association has approached Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola over the prospect of him becoming the next England manager, reports claim.

Chief executive Mark Bullingham said the Football Association had appointed "one of the best coaches in the world".

Speaking following the announcement, he 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 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."

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.

"I would like to thank Lee for stepping up and doing everything we asked of him – he is a very talented coach and a major part of our England pathway. He will now focus on retaining the U21 Euro title in the summer.

"These are exciting times for England fans at senior and MU21 level, and we look forward to welcoming Thomas and Anthony when they begin work in January."