When Thomas Tuchel was told he conducts himself like an Anglophile, he did not demur. “Yeah, it feels like that,” the England manager replied. “I can’t explain it but it felt like this from the first weeks at Chelsea. It just felt so good to be in the country and in the city of course, and be a part of Premier League.” That confession, made ahead of the 2026 World Cup, captures the unusual and genuine affection the German has developed for a nation he now leads into football’s biggest tournament.
A Love for England
Tuchel’s bond with England runs deeper than professional convenience. He has spoken of how the country, its humour and its way of life resonate with him. As a child he would pretend to be England winger Chris Waddle in his garden. Now, as a resident, he enjoys using Lime bikes in London and has found his favourite gastropub. “It feels like home when I land in London,” he has said, a sentiment he traces directly to his time managing Chelsea. From those first weeks at Stamford Bridge he felt comfortable, embraced by the city and the relentless intensity of the Premier League. “I love living in England,” he has added, explaining that he wants to be close to the league and the majority of his players.
That connection extends beyond the personal. Tuchel’s affinity for England was a factor in his decision to accept the role of permanent head coach on 16 October 2024, taking up the post from 1 January 2025. He replaced interim boss Lee Carsley, who had been in charge since Gareth Southgate departed after Euro 2024. Tuchel is the third foreign manager to lead England, following Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, and he describes leading the national side in a World Cup as the pinnacle of his coaching career.
From Chelsea to the National Side
Tuchel’s Chelsea experience was transformative. The comfort he felt from the start mirrored the rapid success he achieved at the club: a Champions League title in 2021, along with the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. That period cemented his appreciation for English football’s culture and tempo. He has since signed a contract extension that will keep him as England coach through to UEFA Euro 2028, which England is co-hosting – a commitment confirmed in February 2026 that underlines his desire to remain part of the domestic scene.
His enjoyment of the Premier League is not merely nostalgic. It is tactical and strategic. Tuchel’s teams are renowned for solid defence and sharp attack, adaptable between formations but often using a 3-4-3 system that balances defensive strength with offensive threat – a system many believe suits England’s attacking talents such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. He employs high pressing to win the ball back quickly, benefiting fast attackers like Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden. He has a strong record of developing young players, having given opportunities to Mason Mount and Reece James at Chelsea, and aims to instil a sense of urgency and attacking intent, wanting his teams to have possession in the opponent’s half and counter-press effectively.
Tuchel’s England team secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a perfect record: ten wins in ten qualifiers, making them the first European side to achieve that feat without conceding a goal. As of June 2026, their group-stage opponents are Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. Yet Tuchel remains grounded about expectations. He has emphasised that England are not the “top favourites” for the World Cup, given their historical lack of recent major tournament success, but sees them as “challengers who want to go all the way.” He believes reaching the quarter-finals is a key step, after which any team can win. He has also spoken about removing “fear” from the squad, aiming for them to play with “hunger and joy to win, not with the fear to lose.”
His management style is meticulous and occasionally forthright. He has shown a willingness to make tough decisions, such as selecting Morgan Rogers over Jude Bellingham in one instance, citing consistent performances, and has called up a slightly smaller squad than allocated, aiming for a “tighter, more competitive squad.” He picks the best team rather than trying to accommodate all star players, meaning some big names may not start. His appointment initially drew consternation from those who preferred a British manager, but his subsequent success has largely quelled that criticism.
One area where Tuchel has drawn particular attention is his decision not to sing the English national anthem, “God Save The King,” during the World Cup opener against Croatia. His reasoning is that he needs to “earn the right” to sing it – that as a German national he cannot do it automatically. He must earn that right through results, building a strong team, and performing his job properly. He has expressed a degree of shyness about singing the anthem and does not want to cause offense or draw undue attention to himself. While he knows the words and jokes that “it’s not so difficult,” he feels he is “not there yet” and may consider singing it later in the tournament if he feels he has earned it. He has acknowledged that fans have playfully jested about his stance, which he has taken with good humour, recognising it as “British humour.”
Tuchel’s journey from admiring Chris Waddle in his garden to leading England at a World Cup is, in many ways, a story of a man who found both a home and a purpose in a country he never expected to love. The Anglophile label, he accepts, fits perfectly.
