Thomas Tuchel: England’s World Cup mastermind

ATLANTA: Thomas Tuchel was hired by England as head coach with a simple brief: win the 2026 World Cup.
So far, so good as they prepare to take on Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the semifinals.
The German has overseen a largely happy camp, dancing with his players in the dressing room in Mexico City after their battling win against the co-hosts.
But his tone changed following Saturday’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Norway, when he described his team as “lucky.”
“The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but I’m not happy with the performance,” he said.
That downbeat assessment drew a stinging retort from midfielder Jude Bellingham, who scored twice as England came from behind.
“Whatever, whatever,” said the Real Madrid midfielder after a gruelling 120 minutes in the searing Miami heat.
The pair have a complicated history, but the exchange was a stark reminder that Tuchel will not shy away from speaking his mind.
The 52-year-old will not care that he has riled Bellingham, who has scored six goals and once again proved himself to be England’s man for the big moment.
The Football Association knew who it was getting when it hired the former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss to replace Gareth Southgate in 2024.
Southgate had reshaped the team during his largely successful tenure, breaking down barriers between players from rival clubs and forging a cohesive unit.
But his team never got over the line — defeated in the semifinals and quarter-finals at the World Cup and twice losing in the final of the Euros.

- Winner -

The blunt and charismatic Tuchel arrived as one of the big beasts of world football, with league titles at PSG and Bayern Munich under his belt.
His crowning glory was Chelsea’s 2021