Thomas Tuchel is confident he can push England into higher gear as he aims for success at the 2026 World Cup.
Tuchel has been appointed England manager on an 18-month contract from January 2025, with a single-minded focus on ending the nation’s 60-year wait for a trophy in the US.
England finished runners-up at successive European Championships under Gareth Southgate and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018, but failed to make the cut under Tuchel’s predecessor.
Tuchel believes he has inherited a squad ready to win from Southgate, but admits he sees room for improvement.
When asked if England have a fifth gear that they haven’t achieved yet, the new England manager said: “Maybe even sixth gear. Let’s see where we’re going. I think we have it. I’m pretty sure we have that.
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Watch highlights from Thomas Tuchel’s first press conference as England manager
“In addition to talent, I know we have character in the players. I can’t wait to work with them on the field in March. I hope that with the whole staff at St George’s Park we will push all the players to their maximum potential.
Tuchel’s brief tenure as England manager has been clearly defined as building a team capable of winning the 2026 World Cup. In his words, “let’s see” after that.
It is a stark contrast to the four-year deal Southgate was given when he was appointed in November 2016, with an emphasis on years of building a culture.
The FA’s more short-term approach to its latest signing will no doubt bring greater scrutiny to Tuchel, who has already won the Champions League trophy and the French domestic treble as the club’s manager.
“The goal is to win the World Championship, so I don’t know if it’s a failure (if we don’t win),” he said. “If we miss the target, we have to talk about why we missed it.
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Jamie Carragher says Tuchel is adapting well to dealing with the media but having a foreign England manager “doesn’t feel right”.
“We are not shy about talking about it, this is the first step towards it and then we have to invest in the process and put all our energy into qualifying.
“It’s positive pressure, we want to make the seemingly impossible possible. The tournament record has been outstanding in recent tournaments and we hope we can go the extra mile.”
Tuchel: I will prioritize team building over individuals
The debate over selecting the best available players and those who can form the best team is one that has long dogged international managers at Wembley and beyond.
Southgate has often been criticized for his loyalty to certain players and defended his selection by saying he was trying to build a solid unit.
Tuchel has hinted he could stick to that format and put together the best possible squad to take England to the 2026 World Cup.
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Gary Neville backs Tuchel’s appointment but admits there is an element of “disappointment” the FA have chosen an international manager for England.
“The most important thing is to have the right group of players. Maybe we will choose not the best 26 individual players, but the best group that supports each other and builds a certain atmosphere that can make us excel because this. is what you should do.
“The most successful teams play almost without ego, they play as a team and that will always be the core of football. It will also be central to our new nomination process.”
Bullingham. Bitesize Tuchel’s contract could follow Wiegmann
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham pointed to the success of another foreign appointment, Sarina Wigman, as why they chose “proven winner” Tuchel to replace Southgate.
Wiegman became the Lions’ first overseas manager in 2021 and led the country to their only major silverware barely a year later when they lifted the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley.
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In his first message since being appointed England manager, Thomas Tuchel says he is “nervous” but will do everything to win the World Cup and earn a second England star.
“That’s an absolutely critical factor in getting a proven winner,” Bullingham said.
“We saw the impact Sarina had when she came in and joined the Lions and the confidence it gave them to have a proven winner with them.
“We feel Thomas can do the same with our men’s team.”
Bullingham was put off by the length of Tuchel’s contract, which offers no guarantee he will still be in charge when the home nations unite to host Euro 2028, with the final possibly at Wembley, four years from now.
The CEO defended the move, saying: “The best way to think about it is in bite-sized pieces. Thomas was really clear at the start that he was signing for 18 months with the sole purpose of doing as well as possible at the Men’s World Cup.
“He wanted all his attention to be focused on that World Cup. If you sign up longer, people start to focus.
“One of the lines he said to us at the start was he’s signed for 18 months but I could be with you for 10 years, let’s take it in bits and pieces.
“It allows us to completely focus on winning in the United States.”
