Thomas Tuchel has been officially appointed as the England manager and is being touted as having the opportunity to achieve “immortality” in football.

Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has been officially named as the new England manager, succeeding Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after Euro 2024.

Tuchel becomes the third non-English coach to take on the role, following Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

England announced the appointment on social media, including a teaser post featuring a baseball cap with the Three Lions logo, a nod to Tuchel’s habit of wearing a hat on the sidelines—though some fans might have initially speculated it was Jurgen Klopp being appointed instead.

Tuchel brings an impressive resume to his new role, having led an underdog Chelsea team to a Champions League victory in 2021 and reaching the final with Paris Saint-Germain the year prior.

The 51-year-old also secured league titles at both Bayern Munich and PSG, where he worked with top players, including England captain Harry Kane last season at Bayern.

 

Despite some likely debate over appointing a non-English manager, former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand has no reservations.

Ferdinand believes Tuchel has the opportunity to achieve legendary status, emphasizing that nationality will not matter if he can lead the team to the success that eluded them under Southgate.

In a YouTube discussion, Ferdinand commented, “I’ve seen some articles and murmurs saying that the FA should prioritize patriotism by appointing an English manager. There are plenty of talented English coaches, with names like Graham Potter frequently being mentioned.”

 

Ferdinand continued, “You want the best person for the job. I don’t care; if we win a World Cup or Euros, those same people writing those articles will be the ones celebrating, shouting, and drinking without a care about having a German manager.

If he wins, the conversation won’t be about his nationality—it’ll be about becoming immortal. This is an opportunity for these players to achieve legendary status, and that’s why I think Thomas Tuchel is excited. It’s a chance to elevate himself to the level of Sir Alf Ramsey.”