Thomas Tuchel appointed England manager from 2025

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as the head coach of the England men's national team.

athletic Tuchel was reported to have agreed a deal to take over in England on Tuesday and his appointment was confirmed on Wednesday morning. He will take up the role from January 1, 2025, meaning interim coach Lee Kersley will lead the team for England's November Nations League match.

Tuchel will be assisted by Anthony Barry, who worked with the German at Chelsea and Bayern Munich, with further backroom staff appointments to be confirmed in the near future.

The FA say Tuchel signed his contract on October 8, with “several candidates” interviewed as part of the process. The terms of Tuchel's contract will include a bonus for winning the World Cup, the next edition of which will be held in 2026 across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The FA is yet to confirm the length of Tuchel and Barry's contracts.

Pep Guardiola was the FA's top choice to replace Gareth Southgate and the Catalan remains admired. The 53-year-old is out of contract at Manchester City at the end of this season and is yet to make a decision on his future.

“I am very proud to have the honor of leading the England team,” Tuchel said of his appointment. “I have felt a personal connection to the game in this country for a long time and it has already given me some incredible moments.

“It's a huge opportunity to represent England, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.”

Tuchel has been out of work since stepping down as Bayern Munich head coach at the end of last season.

Tuchel worked with England captain Harry Kane during his spell at the German club, while Tuchel is familiar with most England squads during his time in the Premier League as Chelsea head coach.

The FA has made its move for Southgate's permanent successor with interim coach Kersley saying the national team needs a “world-class coach” to lead the country to the next World Cup in 2026.

Kersley, 50, was put in temporary charge after Southgate resigned in July following England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Carsley has won three of his four Nations League matches in charge of the senior side, but last week's 2-1 defeat at home to Greece dented England's hopes of winning their group.

Tuchel, meanwhile, had talks with Manchester United last summer, giving them the distance to discuss financial terms before deciding to keep manager Erik ten Haag.

The former Chelsea head coach was previously considered for the top job at Old Trafford before the club appointed Ten Haag following the departure of Ralf Rangnick.

Tuchel will become the third foreign manager to take charge of the English men's national team — after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello — and the first German.

Tuchel began his managerial career at Mainz before stints at Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, where he led the club to the Champions League final in 2020.

He succeeded Frank Lampard as Chelsea head coach in January 2021 and led the club to their second Champions League title later that season, defeating Guardiola's City in the final.

Tuchel went on to add the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup later that year but was sacked a month into the 2022–23 season by new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.

He led Bayern to a record-extending 33rd Bundesliga title – his first German league crown as a manager – replacing Julian Nagelsmann two months earlier in May 2023 but was unable to hold on, with Bayer Leverkusen instead winning their first Bundesliga title earlier this year.

(Top photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)