Thomas Tuchel: What we know about England’s new manager
Thomas Tuchel has a signed a deal to become the next manager of the England men’s football team.
The German is expected to be officially unveiled on Wednesday following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after Euro 2024, with Lee Carsley having taken temporary charge since then.
Tuchel is perhaps best known in the UK for being the former Chelsea manager. But his stint in west London was just one small part of his story.
Growing up in Germany
The 51-year-old is only the third foreign manager in the history of the England men’s football team – and the first German to take charge.
He follows in the footsteps of the late Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Swede who managed England from 2001 to 2006, and Italy’s Fabio Capello who led the Three Lions from 2007 to 2012.
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Harry Kane: ‘I know Thomas well’
Tuchel grew up in the small town of Krumbach, Bavaria, in 1970s West Germany and showed a talent for football from a young age.
Despite originally wanting to be a helicopter pilot, the young defender’s skill marked him out as the best player in his school – which he helped to win the German Schools Championship in Berlin in 1987.
Injury ends playing career in his 20s
Within a year, the teenager was snapped up by FC Augsburg at the Bundesliga side’s youth academy.
However, despite his promising start, he was released from the club aged 19 without ever making a first-team appearance.
Tuchel was then signed by Stuttgarter Kickers, then in the Bundesliga 2. He managed only eight appearances before moving down to SSV Ulm in Germany’s third-tier.
His career there was given a boost when a young man called Ralf Rangnick – who would later go on to temporarily manage Manchester United – was appointed the club’s manager.
Former interim Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick helped Tuchel in his early coaching career. Pic: PA
Tuchel made a total of 68 appearances for the side, based in southwest Germany, and contributed to their promotion to Bundesliga 2.
However, his dreams were dealt another blow when a chronic knee injury forced him into an early retirement from playing in his mid-20s in 1998.
University studies
After leaving the field of play, Tuchel did not jump straight into management. Instead, he decided to go to university, where he studied business administration, while also working as a waiter in a bar to help pay the bills.
But his love of football never left him – and his friendship with Rangnick, which continued after he left SSV Ulm, helped pull him back.
By this point, Rangnick was the manager of Stuttgart and Tuchel seemed to have recovered from his injury.
Thomas Tuchel in 2009. Pic: Reuters
He managed to persuade his former boss to give him a trial for the team’s reserves.
But, frustratingly, his hopes were dashed again, as his old injury came back to haunt him and it became apparent that his chronic cartilage damage could not be overcome.
Early coaching career
Rangnick took pity on his friend and talked him into trying out coaching instead. Before long, Tuchel was working in the club’s academy and eventually took over Stuttgart’s under-14s team in 2000.
His aptitude for the role quickly became clear, and he was promoted to head the under-19s team, which he led to win the league’s youth league in 2005.
Following a rapid rise at the helm of several youth teams, and less than a decade since he was working in a bar, Tuchel was appointed first team coach of Bundesliga side Mainz in August 2009.
Thomas Tuchel when he was coach at Mainz in 2009. Pic: Reuters
Replacing Klopp
After taking over from future Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp at Mainz, he helped the newly promoted side finish an impressive ninth in Germany’s top tier.
He then steered the side to a fifth-place finish – and a Europa League spot – in the 2011/12 season.
From then on, the only way was up.
In 2015, he was appointed in the top job at Borussia Dortmund, again taking over from Klopp.
Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp, then coach of Borussia Dortmund, in 2010. Pic: Reuters
Tuchel led the side to a second-place Bundesliga finish, just behind Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich.
In 2018, he left to join top French side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), helping them win the Ligue 1 title in his first season.
The following year, he won the domestic treble with PSG and took the club to its first Champions League final in 2020, where the team narrowly lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
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Champions League success
Tuchel’s success attracted plenty of suitors and he eventually left PSG on Christmas Eve 2020 – before it was announced he would be replacing Frank Lampard in the top job at Chelsea in January 2021.
Within months, he took the team to the Champions League final against Manchester City, which Chelsea won 1-0.
Tuchel celebrates after Chelsea score in the 2021 Champions League final. Pic: Reuters
Tuchel celebrates with the Champions League trophy in 2021. Pic: PA
But just six months into the following season, fans were shocked when the west London side’s owners sacked Tuchel.
It came following behind-the-scenes disagreements and a disappointing defeat in Chelsea’s opening Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb.
Tuchel soon returned to his native Germany, taking the helm at Bayern Munich in March 2023.
During his time with the club, he managed Harry Kane following the England striker’s move from Spurs.
Tuchel left Bayern in June this year as part of “a sporting realignment” at the club, and had been without a job since.
Personal life
Tuchel has two children from his marriage to his ex-wife Sisi. The couple divorced in 2022 after 13 years together.
Tuchel with his family after Chelsea’s Champions League win. Pic: Reuters
He told Sky Sports in 2021 his favourite music includes Simply Red, Jay-Z and Abba.
He also speaks several languages, including English, French, German and “some” Italian.
Tuchel has said his favourite ever footballer is former Borussia Monchengladbach sweeper Hans-Gunter Bruns, an “idol” from his childhood.
Former British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua delivered a dose of reality to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul as he won their much-anticipated showdown.
Joshua scored three knockdowns before landing a huge right hit on Paul halfway through the sixth round.
The British fighter lifted Paul’s hand in a show of respect after the fight broadcast on the streaming platform Netflix.
Joshua landing the right hit that knocked out Paul. Pic: AP
“Jake Paul has done really well tonight. I want to give him his props, he got up, time and time again,” he said about his opponent.
Joshua said it “wasn’t the best performance”, adding: “It took a bit longer than expected. But the right hand finally found the destination.”
Joshua celebrating his win after the fight. Pic: Reuters
Meanwhile, Paul said: “I’m feeling good, that was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all, It’s f****** crazy. I had a blast.
“I got my ass beat, but that’s what this sport is about. I’mma (going to) come back and keep on winning.”
He added: “I just got tired to be honest. He did amazing and hits really hard.”
Jake Paul was knocked down three times before the final knockout in the sixth round. Pic: Reuters
The fight marked the end of a 14-month hiatus for Joshua, 36, while for 28-year-old Paul it was the biggest fight since his boxing career began in 2020.
At the weigh-in on Friday, Joshua boasted an almost two-stone advantage over Paul, who has regularly fought at cruiserweight since he entered the world of boxing.
Britain’s two-time world heavyweight champion tipped the scales at 243.4lbs (17st 5lbs) for his fight against Paul in Miami, while Paul weighed in at 216lbs (15st 6lbs) – a hefty 1.9st difference.
Joshua, who could not weigh more than 245lbs, is the lightest he has been since his first fight against Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 when he was 240lbs. For his last fight against Daniel Dubois he weighed 252.5Ibs.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua at the weigh-in. Pic: Reuters
It is also only the second time that Paul weighed in over cruiserweight limit – the other time was when he fought 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Paul defeated Tyson by unanimous decision with 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73.
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Family of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe pay tribute to ‘beautiful soul’ as teen appears in court charged with murder
The family of a nine-year-old girl stabbed to death have said she was a “beautiful soul” who was brave, kind-hearted and “always put a smile on people’s faces”.
Police were called to Lime Close in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, just before 6.10pm on Monday, where Aria Thorpe had suffered a single stab wound.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a tribute released by Avon and Somerset Police on Friday, the girl’s family on her mother’s side said: “For those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing Aria, she was the most beautiful little soul – happy-go-lucky, full of light, and joy.
“She loved to sing and dance, and she took such pride in dressing up, always wanting to look just like her mummy.”
Tom Thorpe, the girl’s father, said: “It’s hard to put into words how devastating it is, our little Aria, that you’re up there with the angels looking over us.”
It comes as a 15-year-old boy charged with Aria’s murder appeared in court.
Pic: Avon and Somerset Police
Aria was a ‘precious girl’
In their statement, Aria’s family on her mother’s side said her death “has devastated us beyond words”.
“Our hearts are broken in a way we never imagined possible,” they added.
“As a family, we are holding one another close and doing everything we can to support each other through this unimaginable time.”
They said they were “truly touched by the lovely messages we have received”, before asking “that our privacy is respected, as we try to come to terms with the terrible loss of our precious girl”.
Flowers laid in memory of the young girl
‘Wacky ways and outright madness’
Mr Thorpe said: “How sad it’s going to be not hearing ‘Dad, how long left?’ on our long journeys back and forth at weekends.
He then said that Aria was “such a brave, kind-hearted and a beautiful innocent soul”, and “always put a smile on people’s faces with your wacky ways and just outright madness”.
Mr Thorpe added: “Your other little family down here in Portsmouth will forever miss you.
“We’ll miss you begging to go outside, even in the pouring rain just to have as much fun as possible in the little time we had at weekends.
“You will be greatly missed, you special little angel. A life gone far too early but I hope a life lived well. We all love you dearly. Goodnight darling.”
Teenager in court
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy charged with Aria’s murder appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, where he was remanded.
The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, was arrested in the Somerset village of Worle at 6.19pm on Monday.
He is next due in court on 16 March 2026. Appearing via video link from youth detention accommodation, he spoke only to confirm his name.
Judge Peter Blair KC set a provisional trial date for 15 June during the hearing.
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