New England manager Thomas Tuchel has been given a clear directive by the Football Association (FA) to lead the national team to victory in the 2026 World Cup.
England, who only major international victory came in 1966, has suffered near-misses in recent years, including consecutive European Championship final defeats.
The FA believes that with Tuchel’s expertise and Barry’s support, England has the potential to finally add another major trophy to their history.
“We wanted to hire a coaching team to give us the best possible chance of winning a major tournament, and we believe they will do just that,” said FA CEO Mark Bullingham. “Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026.”
Tuchel, who departed Bayern Munich after they lost the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, was a top candidate for the role.
The FA had also considered Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, but Tuchel and Barry, who previously collaborated at Bayern and Chelsea, emerged as preferred choice.
The selection process began in the summer, following Gareth Southgate’s resignation, with Tuchel officially signing his contract on October 8. However, his appointment was kept under wraps to allow the team to focus on its Nations League commitments.
Upon being confirmed on Wednesday, Tuchel expressed his pride and anticipation for his new role. “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” he said.
“I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. Working closely with Anthony, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud.”
Tuchel now becomes the third non-English permanent manager of the national team, following Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
