Barring some highly unexpected developments, England should be on the list of travellers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While waiting for the qualifying draw, the Three Lions have made a crucial decision following another stomach-wrenching UEFA European Championship result.
After a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the grand final, long-serving boss Gareth Southgate parted ways with his home country, having failed to win any major silverware during his eight-year reign.
Southgate guided England to back-to-back Euro finals, only to be beaten by Italy and La Furia Roja.
However, results in the World Cup finals were greatly missing.
England had to settle for a fourth-place finish in the 2018 edition in Russia before France got the better of them in the 2022 quarter-finals in Qatar.
With Canada, Mexico and the United States preparing to host the latest instalment of the most prestigious international tournament in 2026, the Three Lions’ eyes remain firmly set on the prize.
Not since lifting the title in 1966 when the competition took place in England had one of Europe’s biggest footballing nations tasted success on the grandest stage.
A fourth-place finish under Southgate remains England’s joint-best run at the World Cups since overcoming West Germany after extra time nearly a half-century ago.
In fact, it will be exactly 50 years since the Three Lions’ memorable triumph at Wembley when the North American-held edition rolls around.
Thomas Tuchel will lead England’s title charge from the dugout after the Football Association appointed him as the new permanent manager earlier in October.
Difficult Years
The former Chelsea boss will replace caretaker coach Lee Carsley in January 2025, meaning he’ll be at the helm from the beginning of the World Cup qualifying cycle.
Eclipsing Southgate’s fourth-place finish is a bare minimum the Three Lions faithful will expect from the 51-year-old in North America.
However, Tuchel’s appointment has triggered mixed feelings.
His reign at Stamford Bridge ended in acrimonious fashion when Todd Boehly sacked him the morning after a 1-0 defeat by Dinamo Zagreb.
According to The Telegraph, Tuchel will get a ‘warm welcome’ back at Chelsea as the England gaffer despite his disappointing exit.
Chelsea fans will unlikely forget the UEFA Champions League title the German manager brought back to the Bridge in 2021.
But it wasn’t like his career soared after departing English shores.
Not only did he leave West London unceremoniously, but he later presided over Bayern Munich’s first failed attempt to lift the Bundesliga title in over a decade.
Right Man for the Job
Despite dismal second seasons at both Bayern and Chelsea, Tuchel won major titles with both clubs.
He led the Bavarians to Bundesliga glory in his first year in charge while he won three international trophies with the Blues beforehand.
In all fairness, he had won at least one trophy in his last four jobs.
With Borussia Dortmund, he lifted the DFB-Pokal crown.
Adding six pieces of silverware with a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain between 2018 and 2020, Tuchel further cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s elite coaches.
He even steered Les Parisiens into the Champions League final, only for Bayern to crush his dreams in the title-defending fixture.
Tuchel is a polarising figure, depending on which side of liking his conservative approach you stand.
But no one can deny his remarkable ability to win trophies wherever he goes.
Proven Winner
While Tuchel’s pragmatic, defense-first tactics may not always win over connoisseurs of action-packed football, his track record speaks for itself.
Whether it’s guiding Chelsea to an unlikely Champions League triumph or maintaining Bayern’s domestic supremacy, Tuchel has consistently proven that his methods lead to success.
Critics may debate his style, but his silverware collection leaves little room for argument when it comes to his effectiveness as a manager.
Having Tuchel behind the wheel could be the turning point the Three Lions have been waiting for.
