England’s 60-year wait for a major trophy now rests in the hands of a German. Thomas Tuchel, appointed as the Three Lions’ head coach back in October 2024, has named his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, and the selections are already generating the kind of heated debate that only English football can produce.
The headline decisions: Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are out. Jordan Henderson is in.
A German leading England into battle
Tuchel officially took charge on January 1, 2025, signing an initial 18-month contract specifically designed to cover the World Cup cycle. He is the third non-British permanent manager in England’s history, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. But he’s the first German to hold the position, a fact that carries its own particular weight given the deep footballing rivalry between the two nations.
The English Football Association clearly sees Tuchel’s appointment as a strategic play. His CV backs up the gamble. The man won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, reached the final with Paris Saint-Germain, and managed Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
