Thomas Tuchel has probably never felt his 52 years more than in the last few weeks, as he tries to steer the England football team to their first World Cup win in 60 oh-so-long years. The German-born manager appears more than aware that he's carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders. During the tournament so far, he's oscillated between looking frazzled and relieved as he's shepherded his squad of would-be heroes from the touchlines.However, the Thomas Tuchel of yesteryear cut a very different figure - with resurfaced photos from his playing days showing a defender with model looks. Images of Tuchel, whose football career at German club SSV Ulm ended through injury when he was just 25, show a fresh-faced 6ft 2in athlete with striking features. Indeed, the young footballer, who went on to manage some of the biggest football clubs in the world - from PSG to Chelsea - caught the eye of several commercial companies keen to use him as a poster boy to promote their products. From fresh-faced footballer to model manager: Thomas Tuchel as a young player for Stuttgart Kickers. Right, during a tense moment in the game against Mexico on Monday The ex PSG and Chelsea manager played as a defender for German clubs until his career was cut short by ongoing knee problems at 25 Shaving brand Moser used Tuchel's good looks to promote its male grooming products The England manager, who's divorced, pictured in 2019 at the Grand Prix in Monaco Shaving brand Moser used Tuchel's good looks to promote its male grooming products, and he also posed for German men's glossy ZEITmagazin MANN in 2017.Tuchel was flown to New York, where he donned designer clothes and posed up a storm on the streets of Brooklyn, with the cover depicting Tuchel in a long black overcoat, pinstripe trousers, and loafers. 'The journey of Thomas Tuchel,' the cover read, as the shoot accompanied the manager's first interview in which he reflected on working at a bar in Stuttgart after his playing career ended. 'There was still no money in the bank, you felt like a professional footballer but were still looking for a job,' he said, explaining how he ended up working at the famous Radio Bar. 'I wouldn't have wanted to drink the cocktails I mixed in the beginning,' he quipped. However, his stint as a barman ultimately brought Tuchel back to the football pitch as he 'overcame my inhibitions of asking strangers if they needed me'. 'And all of a sudden, I had the impression: "The colleagues just like you for your manner, they don't know that you used to be a professional footballer, they accept you as you are."' Tuchel worked his final shift at Radio Bar after he heard his old club SSV Ulm had been promoted to the first division, 'where I always wanted to be', he said. 'I worked in the bar for another half an hour. Then I said to my colleagues, "I have to go now."'Born on August 29, 1973, in a small German town named Krumbach, Tuchel began his football journey under the guidance of his father at his local club TSV Krumbach. Tuchel, pictured here with his ex-wife Sissi, was granted a divorce by a judge at the High Court in London in May 2022After impressing as a defender, he moved to Augsburg's youth academy aged 15, where he remained until he was released at 19-year-old and joined Stuttgarter Kickers in Germany's second tier.Despite his knowledge of the game, he failed to break into the first-team squad and his appearances for the side were limited.After two seasons and only eight league appearances, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier side SSV Ulm, where he became a key part of the side.His playing days came to an end in 1998 due to a knee injury. Tuchel was only 25 when he retired.Tuchel's coaching journey began just two years later, when he was appointed by Ralf Rangnick to take charge of VfB Stuttgart's youth side, which included future German internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.He led his side to the U19 Bundesliga title in 2004, before he returned to his former club, FC Augsburg to take up a role within the youth system before taking charge of the second team.Tuchel's breakout job came via Mainz 05 when he took over from compatriot Jurgen Klopp as manager in 2009.During his five-year reign, Tuchel was applauded for stabilising the club's position in the Bundesliga and for his tactical genius which consisted of high energy, attacking play. Tuchel has since found new girlfriend Natalie Max (pictured here in 2017) holidaying in SardiniaTuchel began to gain recognition as one of the best coaches in the modern game during his time with German giants Borussia Dortmund, where he lifted the DfB Pokal trophy during the 2016-17 season.From there, his status as one of the best coaches in the world only grew, moving on from the German giants to enjoy successful spells with European powerhouses PSG, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.However, his personal life suffered a setback in April 2022, while at Chelsea, when Tuchel announced he had split from his wife, Sissy, after 12 years together.Former journalist Sissy relocated to the UK seven months after Tuchel joined The Blues from the French team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), but the couple filed for divorce soon after, as friends said they had 'exhausted all avenues' but no reconciliation was possible. Sissy and Tuchel, who share two children, parted ways officially in May after a judge at London's High Court accepted their request. In a written order, Mr Justice Mostyn said he was satisfied the football manager had behaved in such a way that Sissy could not reasonably be expected to stay with him. The couple are believed to have reached a multi-million pound settlement. Weeks later, Tuchel was pictured with his new Brazilian girlfriend, Natalie Max, who is 13 years his junior. The pair were seen relaxing on a boat in Sardinia before heading back to their £20,000-a-night private villa.It is thought the new couple's romance blossomed during dates at an Italian restaurant in west London and progressed from there. At the time, a source told the Daily Mail that Tuchel and Natalie are 'smitten with each other'. 'Natalie flew to Sardinia to join Thomas on their first holiday and they've been spending a lot of quality time together in west London, where she lives with her two children and dog.'Tuchel is really lovely and has made Natalie's friends feel welcome, he's definitely in this for the long haul.'His love life is believed to have taken a toll on his career when, in 2022, The Independent reported that Tuchel's relationship had become a hot topic in the Chelsea dressing room. The German manager, who was sacked just seven games into the 2022-23 Premier League season, was said to have lost the confidence of the Chelsea squad due to his difficult characteristics and erratic behaviour - while his private life was also a topic of dressing room gossip.Tuchel's private life was said to be a contributing factor to his dismissal, as it changed the players' perception of him, amid reports that the squad had been discussing how his marriage fell apart and the fact that he had a younger girlfriend. Tuchel's love interest transformed the squad's perception of their manager. However, it is not the only reason the Champions League winner lost control of the dressing room at Chelsea.A source within the Chelsea camp told The Independent that Tuchel would 'say one thing and then complain when it was done'. They said this was because Tuchel would struggle with the pressure of making decisions.The then-49-year-old liked to have 'influence' within the club but made it clear he didn't want too much responsibility.Therefore, the Chelsea hierarchy made the decision to remove Tuchel from his role as the club's manager - paying him £13m and his backroom staff an additional £2m to depart. Tuchel was appointed the manager of the Three Lions in October 2024 under a £5million a year contract. He is currently at the helm of England's bid for World Cup glory.