By Meyiwa Ogbitse
Despite the England national football team finishing as runners-up at the recently concluded Euro 2024 after losing to Spain in the final, former England coach Gareth Southgate resigned from his position after nearly eight years in charge. The 53-year-old made the decision following his team’s defeat at Euro 2024.
This left the position vacant, and an interim coach, Lee Carsley, was appointed for a short period. Carsley managed the England national football team during the Nations League, winning four matches and losing only one. However, this was not enough for the England team, as they continued their search for a permanent coach. The search has now concluded with the appointment of former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to their second UEFA Champions League trophy and has coached clubs like Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Mainz, and Borussia Dortmund.
Tuchel won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, and he now arrives in England with a wealth of experience and high expectations. He is familiar with some of the England squad, such as Reece James and Harry Kane, who performed exceptionally well under his guidance. He becomes the third foreign coach in England’s history.
Tuchel had been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, but he is now officially the England national football team’s coach. In one of his previous interviews, he provided insight into his preferred playing style:
“There’s definitely a style that’s been attributed to me, that we brought to the table at Mainz: pace going forward and attack-minded football,” he told German newspaper *Die Zeit*. “I prefer certain qualities, an active playing style, bold defending and pacy play in attack,” he said.
Tuchel is well-known for his trophy-winning track record. Could he be the one to end England’s trophy drought?