Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed manager of England’s national football team, has declared his ambitious goal of securing a World Cup victory in 2026. Set to begin his tenure on January 1, 2025, the German coach expressed confidence during a press conference on Wednesday.
“We are not shy of it. We are absolutely open about it,” Tuchel stated regarding his World Cup aspirations. “It does not help the more often we speak about it, but it should be out there and then we can set the standards and set the values and principles because then we have to live up to them for 18 months.”
England, famously known as the “Three Lions,” clinched their only World Cup title in 1966. Since then, the team has reached the semifinals but has fallen short of capturing the trophy. Under former manager Gareth Southgate, England advanced to the semifinals in the 2018 World Cup in Russia and reached the quarterfinals in Qatar in 2022. They also appeared in the finals of the last two UEFA European Championships, experiencing narrow defeats to Italy in 2021 and Spain in 2023.
Tuchel brings a wealth of experience from his managerial career at top European clubs. His accolades include a DFB-Pokal victory with Borussia Dortmund, two Ligue 1 championships with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a UEFA Champions League title with Chelsea, and a Bundesliga trophy with Bayern Munich.
Football enthusiasts across Asia have shown keen interest in Tuchel’s appointment, as the English Premier League enjoys a massive following in the region. Asian investors, academics, and diaspora communities are closely watching England’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, anticipating the impact of Tuchel’s leadership on the global football landscape.
“We are playing with players for the best league and the biggest competition in the world. We have a group of young, hungry players,” Tuchel remarked. “We are desperate to win a title, so we have all the ingredients. I think we should try to implement this into our style of play. We should play an attacking style of football and emphasize the physical side of the game because this is what English football is all about. This is what excites our supporters, and this is what suits the players.”
Tuchel’s appointment marks a new chapter for England’s national team as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup cycle. His emphasis on attacking football and leveraging the physicality inherent in English playstyles aims to revitalize the team’s performance on the global stage.
