Thomas Tuchel: England can step up and accomplish its goal of winning the World Cup

As he looks to lead England to victory in the 2026 World Cup, Thomas Tuchel is confident he can get them to step up their game.

The only goal of Tuchel's 18-month tenure as England's head coach, which begins in January 2025, is to break the country's 60-year trophy drought in the USA.

Under Gareth Southgate, England finished second in two consecutive European championships and advanced to the World Cup semifinals in 2018, but under Tuchel's predecessor, they were unable to get past the halfway point.

Although he acknowledges there is need for development, Tuchel feels he has inherited a team that Southgate was ready to win.

The new England head coach said, "Maybe even a sixth gear," when asked if his team has a fifth gear that they haven't yet found. Let's explore our future together. We should have that, I believe. We definitely have that, I'm positive of it.

"I'm confident that our athletes has character in addition to talent. I'm excited to collaborate with them on the pitch starting in March. We're hoping to push every athlete to their absolute utmost with the help of the entire St. George's Park crew."

 
The explicit goal of Tuchel's tenure as England's head coach is to put up a squad that can win the World Cup in 2026. After that, he said, "let's see".

It is a far cry from the four-year contract that Southgate was given upon his appointment in November 2016, when the focus was on creating a culture that would last for years to come.

Tuchel, who has already won the Champions League and the French domestic treble as a club manager, will undoubtedly come under increased scrutiny as a result of the FA's more immediate approach to its most recent recruitment.

"The target is to win the World Cup, so I don't know if it is a failure [if we don't]," he stated. "We would need to discuss why we missed the aim if we were to miss it.

"We don't hesitate to discuss it; this is just the beginning. Next, we must dedicate ourselves fully to the procedure and work hard to get qualified.

"We want to make the seemingly impossible possible, and it feels like positive pressure." The current tournament record is exceptional, and we intend to surpass expectations.

Tuchel: Putting the needs of the team ahead of those of the person

International managers have long been plagued by the debate between selecting the finest players available and those who can assemble the best team, not just at Wembley but also elsewhere.

Frequently chastised for his allegiance to specific individuals, Southgate justified his choices by stating that he was attempting to assemble a strong team.

Tuchel made a suggestion that he might remain with that structure and try to put together the strongest team to represent England in the 2026 World Cup.

"Having the right group of players is the most important thing," he stated. We might not select the top 26 players individually, but rather the finest team that encourages one another, creates a special environment, and has the capacity to surpass expectations because that's what you need to achieve.

"The essence of football will always be teams; the most successful teams practically play without ego. It'll serve as the focal point of our brand-new nomination procedure.

Bullingham: Tuchel's "Bitesize" contract may come next Wiegman Lead

 FA CEO Mark Bullingham gave credit for Sarina Wiegman's accomplishments as the reason they selected "proven winner" Tuchel to succeed Southgate.

In 2021, Wiegman was appointed as the Lionesses' first foreign manager. Barely a year later, at Wembley, they won the Euro 2022 trophy, the nation's lone major prize.

Getting a proven winner is a crucial component, according to Bullingham.

"We witnessed Sarina's influence when she joined the Lionesses and the assurance that came with having a successful member in their midst.

"We feel that Thomas can do the same with our men's team."

Bullingham faced pressure about Tuchel's contract duration, which does not ensure he will be in charge when the home nations team up to host Euro 2028 in four years, possibly with a final held at Wembley.

"Bitesize chunks is the best way to think about it," the CEO said in defence of the decision. Thomas was very upfront about the fact that his only intention when he signed up for the 18-month program was to perform as highly as possible in the men's World Cup.

"He desired to give that World Cup his all attention. Longer signup periods cause people to lose interest.

"I might stay with you for ten years, but I signed for eighteen months, he said us in one of his opening statements. Let's digest it gradually.

"That allows the absolute focus to be on winning in the USA."