German tactician Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as the new head coach of England’s men national team today, the English FA announced.
The former PSG, Chelsea, Bayern Munich boss will take charge of the Three Lions starting from next month alongside Anthony Barry whom he closely worked with while he was in London.
His appointment at the FA marks the conclusion of a thorough recruitment process that commenced in July, shortly after the Three Lions reached the UEFA EURO 2024 final.
This confidential search involved interviews with several candidates and was spearheaded by FA CEO Mark Bullingham and men’s technical director John McDermott. Ultimately, Tuchel, who has signed an 18-month contract, emerged as the top choice.
The FA Board approved the hires of Tuchel and Barry earlier last week, with Tuchel officially signing his contract on Tuesday, October 8. The announcement was postponed to avoid distractions during the recently concluded international camp.
“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”, FA CEO Mark Bullingham stated.
“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”.
“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.”
Thomas 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. 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.”
Anthony Barry added: “For any Englishman in football, working with the national team is the pinnacle and I didn’t hesitate when Thomas asked me to come and join him again. I know what a great place St. George’s Park is and how much of an advantage it gives our England teams, and the support it gives to coaches.
“This squad is very talented and have done so much to bring the country together, I look forward to meeting and working with them on this exciting project.”
Meanwhile, Lee Carsley will stay at the helm of the Three Lions until the end of the UEFA Nations League group stage next month, which includes crucial matches against Greece away and the Republic of Ireland at home. Following this, he will focus on leading England’s attempt to defend their UEFA U21 EURO title after securing qualification for the finals next summer this weekend.