The dream of bringing Football Home has seen the English FA turn to a German manager, with Thomas Tuchel named on Wednesday as Gareth Southgate’s successor.
The German appointment has been controversial, as the former Chelsea and PSG boss becomes just the third foreign manager to take the England job.
However, it is his German heritage that doesn’t sit right with many national team fans, as Germany have often been seen as England’s biggest rival on the international stage.
But, with a wealth of winning experience at the highest level, his appointment has seen England cut to +700 third-favorites in the BetOnline market to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A German Managing England
The storied history between England and Germany on the soccer field means that Tuchel’s appointment is as controversial as it is bold.
The only Three Lions success on the international stage in the 1966 World Cup came against Germany. But, since then, German success against England has been only too evident.
A 4-1 loss in the quarterfinal stage of the 2010 World Cup, coupled with penalty shootout heartbreaks in the 1990s, means that the wounds in the rivalry between the nations are still fresh.
However, recent bragging rights have gone to the Three Lions, with England memorably knocking out Germany on their way to the EURO 2020 final at Wembley.
Winning Mentality Installed Following Thomas Tuchel Appointment
Tuchel’s appointment has been met with a mixed reception. However, for those who can overlook his nationality, the feedback is one of hope.
Success has followed the German throughout his career. He won the DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund before guiding PSG to successive top-flight titles in Ligue 1.
However, Tuchel is most fondly remembered during his time with Chelsea. He oversaw a period of unlikely success while batting questions surrounding the Roman Abrahimovic ownership following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
His success in the Champions League final in 2021 came against all odds, and further success followed with wins in the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Tuchel’s tenure ended at Chelsea following the Todd Boehly purchase, but he would later achieve further success back in his native Germany when winning the Bundesliga title at Bayern Munich in 2022-23.
England Deserving Front-Runners for World Cup
Despite achieving little to no success on the international stage since 1966, England currently boasts one of the most exciting young teams in international soccer. The Three Lions have threatened to end a long period of hurt in recent years, reaching the final in successive EUROs under Gareth Southgate.
However, getting over the line in a World Cup poses an entirely different question. Therefore, it is little surprise to see teams with proven winning records at the competition at the front of the betting.
Brazil may have endured their difficulties in qualification this year, but Carlo Ancelotti’s likely appointment sees them head the market at +600.
Recently crowned EURO champions Spain have a young squad and are hard to rule out at +600. France also have proven quality across the field, and will be a menacing challenger in North America at +650.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina are interesting outsiders at +850, while Tuchel’s home country of Germany are also hard to discount at a World Cup at +1100.
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