Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that his primary goal is to win the World Cup and add a second star to the England shirt. The German coach, who was appointed on an 18-month contract, acknowledged that his tenure could be a make-or-break situation. Tuchel, the third foreign manager to lead the senior men's team, boldly set his sights on winning silverware during his unveiling at Wembley. The former Chelsea head coach, who officially starts his role on January 1st after a secret signing with the Football Association last Tuesday, was direct in stating his mission to end England's 57-year wait for a major men's trophy. The focus is on the 2026 World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA, and the short-term nature of his contract suggests both Tuchel and the FA are prioritizing immediate results. The 51-year-old, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, was questioned about the possibility of extending his £5m-a-year contract, which could hinge on England's performance in the World Cup.

"I don't know," Tuchel responded. "It depends. I understand what you're saying – no, it's not a gamble, but we are very clear about why we are here and what we want to achieve. We are not shy of our ambitions. We are absolutely open about it. It does not help to speak about it too often, but it should be clear what our goals are. Then we can set the standards, values, and principles, because then we have to live up to them for 18 months." He added, "Let's judge it when we have done it. If we decide it was a failure, then we will not continue. If we decide it was not a failure, then we will continue. No one can predict the future. It feels absolutely right for me to do so; it feels clear and easy for me to explain. When it's easy to explain, it's normally good."

Tuchel, who has appointed Englishman Anthony Barry as his assistant, described the job as "the biggest in world football." He exuded confidence but did not apologize for any backlash due to his nationality. He has not yet decided whether he will sing the national anthem before games. "I am sorry to have a German passport but maybe the supporters can feel my passion for the Premier League, my passion for the country, how I love to live and work here," Tuchel said. "Hopefully I can convince people that I am proud to be England manager." He continued, "I think everyone has their opinion and I can understand the opinion: 'I would fancy an English coach more for the English team.' But I think we deserve a fair chance, we deserve the credit for having a good record in the country, for never being shy of how much we love to live in the country and how much we enjoy working with the players in the Premier League. Maybe this counts a little bit for a British edge on my German passport. We will try to convince them by results and the way we play."

The FA's negotiations with Tuchel, who promised to implement an attacking style with a physical edge, were kept highly confidential. The governing body aimed to minimize distractions during last week's international break. Lee Carsley, who was appointed on an interim basis after Gareth Southgate's resignation following England's defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final, will step aside after next month's Nations League Group B2 games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. Mark Bullingham, the FA's chief executive, mentioned interviewing "approximately 10 candidates," some of whom were English. The FA also approached Pep Guardiola, though it remains unclear whether the Catalan will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Tuchel, who has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich in the summer, was eager to start and was aligned with Bullingham and John McDermott, the technical director. The former Paris Saint-Germain head coach praised Southgate for taking the team to two finals, a semi-final, and a quarter-final in the past four tournaments. He attributed England's near misses to fine margins. Tuchel confirmed he would live in England, making it easier for him to scout players, and acknowledged it would take time to adapt to the slower pace of international coaching. However, there was some confusion over why he would not start until January, given that the World Cup qualifying draw takes place on December 13th.

"We always said to Lee he would have three camps and we were very clear he'd run the Nations League campaign," Bullingham explained. "When we first spoke to Thomas, he wanted to have a singular focus on the World Cup, so it made sense on both sides for him to start on January 1st." Tuchel declined to confirm whether Harry Kane would continue as captain and avoided a question about potentially replacing Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. "It suited my passion to push this group of players and to be part of this federation, which has such a strong record in recent tournaments, and push it over the line and to try and put a second star on the shirt," he said. "Mark and John made very clear that it's about football and this excited me very quickly." Tuchel has not finalized his backroom team, and it is unclear whether Ashley Cole, Carsley's assistant, will be part of it. "We will keep the group very small because I always want to acknowledge the potential and the quality in the staff of the FA," Tuchel said.