Thomas Tuchel: England has named the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach as Gareth Southgate’s successor.

In a significant development for English football, the FA has officially appointed Thomas Tuchel as the new manager of the England national team. The former Chelsea boss will take the reins from Gareth Southgate, who stepped down in July following a disappointing defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Since Southgate’s resignation, England has been without a permanent head coach, with Lee Carsley serving as the interim manager during the UEFA Nations League campaign. Tuchel’s appointment marks a new chapter for the Three Lions, as he prepares to lead a talented squad into future competitions.

In his first statement as England manager, Tuchel expressed his pride and excitement for the role. “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” he said. “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.”

Tuchel will be joined by Anthony Barry, who has been named as his assistant coach. The German tactician emphasised the importance of their collaboration, stating, “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.”

FA CEO Mark Bullingham also shared his enthusiasm regarding the appointment. “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,” he remarked.

Bullingham elaborated on the recruitment process, highlighting the thoroughness with which they approached the search for a new manager. “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.”

He continued, “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.”

Looking ahead, Bullingham expressed confidence in Tuchel and his team’s ability to lead England to success, particularly with the World Cup in 2026 on the horizon. “Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026,” he stated.

In closing, Bullingham acknowledged the contributions of Lee Carsley during his interim tenure, stating, “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.”

With Tuchel at the helm, there is a renewed sense of optimism among England fans as they look forward to an exciting future for both the senior team and the U21s. The new management duo will officially begin their work in January, and anticipation is already building for what lies ahead.

More updates to follow as this story develops.