Tuchel reveals why time at Chelsea persuaded him to take England job

Thomas Tuchel has hailed his “personal connection” to English football after the FA confirmed his appointment as England manager.

Tuchel has agreed an 18-month contract that will see him take charge of the team’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

The German had a spell at Chelsea in which he won the Champions League and cited his affinity for English football as a reason for accepting the job.

“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” said Tuchel, only the third foreigner to be given the role.

“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 FA said they had spoken to several candidates for the job, which Gareth Southgate vacated following Euro 2024 after eight years in the post. 

They added that Tuchel had signed his contract last week but kept the news secret until after England had played their Nations League games with Greece and Finland.

He will begin in January and be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, who worked with Tuchel at Chelsea and Bayern Munich and is currently Portugal No2. 

“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,” said FA CEO Mark Bullingham.

“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.”

Bullingham also thanked England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley for stepping in on a caretaker basis for the last four games.