under fire, German Thomas Tuchel takes reins of England men’s team

What if this time could be the right one? That, finally, forty years later, « it’s coming home », that is to say that the English men’s football team is finding its way back to success in a major international competition?

The year 2025 has just begun and Three Lions supporters already have their eyes set on the next one: 2026 and a World Cup which will be co-hosted from June 11 to July 19 by Canada, the United States and Mexico . With the hope of winning this second star after which the English selection has been chasing since July 30, 1966 and the victorious final, at Wembley Stadium, in London, against West Germany (4-2).

Ironically, it is precisely to a German that the national federation (Football Association, FA) entrusted this perilous mission, the Bavarian Thomas Tuchel, 51, who officially takes the reins of the team on Wednesday. 1^is January.

Under the mandate of his predecessor, Gareth Southgate, in office since 2016, the Three Lions had approached the Grail, without ever grasping it: fourth in the 2018 World Cup – then their best performance in twenty-eight years – and finalists of Euro 2021 and 2024.

On July 16, two days after the defeat of his troops against Spain (2-1) at the end of the European Nations Championship, the coach announced his resignation; the interim had been entrusted to Lee Carsley, junior coach, while the federation carried out its recruitment campaign in the greatest secrecy.

“I will do everything to respect this role and this country”

In the country that saw it born, and invented the rules in 1863, football is necessarily a serious business and the FA’s choice to appoint a foreigner at the head of the men’s team has raised some eyebrows. A ” insult “wrote the tabloid The Daily Mailin reaction to this decision, in mid-October, judging that “international football should be the best of us against the best of them”.

Before Thomas Tuchel, there were only two non-Englishmen to occupy the position, the Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson (2001-2006) and the Italian Fabio Capello (2007-2012). Already, the reception had been frosty in the local media.

At a press conference in the fall, the German responded to criticism without losing his smile, assuring that he could ” to understand “ that some would have preferred to see the post entrusted to a compatriot.

“I’m sorry I only have a German passport, but maybe the fans can feel my passion for the Premier League [le championnat anglais]my passion for this country, how I like to live and work here »he declared, before asking that he be “give it a chance”. “I will do everything to respect this role and this country, (…) everyone can be assured of this, regardless of my nationality. »

A successful spell at Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel, who has never managed a national team but has officiated, among others, at Borussia Dortmund (2015-2017), Paris Saint-Germain (2018-2020) and Bayern Munich (2023-2024), enjoys yet has a good reputation across the Channel. At issue: his time on the London bench of Chelsea (2021-2022), crowned with a Champions League, four months after his arrival, at the expense of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City (1-0). With the Blues, the Bavarian also lifted the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

In his quest for success with the Three Lions, he will be supported by Anthony Barry, who was his assistant at Bayern Munich and with whom he had worked at Chelsea. This native of Liverpool has already had the opportunity to train in the selection with the Spaniard Roberto Martinez, for Belgium then Portugal.

England will play their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in Group K, against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra. And let Thomas Tuchel rest assured, the English supporter, however grumpy he may be, has a short memory in the event of victory. He only has to ask the Dutchman Sarina Wiegman, celebrated as it should be after the victory of the women’s team in the final of Euro 2022. As long as it comes home…