Amid the announcement by the English Football Association (FA) about the signing of Thomas Tuchel in October 2024, the highest entity in English football had ambitious plans with another big name. Pep Guardiola, then in charge of Manchester City, was the team’s main target and a preliminary agreement had already been established between the parties, as revealed. Contudo, em uma reviravolta inesperada nos bastidores, o treinador espanhol preferiu estender seu contrato com o clube de Manchester.
Com a saída de Guardiola da disputa, a Associação de Futebol da Inglaterra ativou seu plano alternativo, contratando Thomas Tuchel. The bet was on the German coach’s pragmatic style, considered ideal for short-term tournaments, aiming to win the 2026 World Cup.
Dream of a two-time world championship that did not come true
This weekend, the England team will not be in New Jersey, as planned by the FA, for the World Cup final against Spain. Em vez disso, a delegação inglesa se deslocou para Miami, onde cumprirá a formalidade amarga de disputar o terceiro lugar contra a França. This situation echoes a scenario experienced eight years ago, under the command of Gareth Southgate, when the team faced Belgium in the same position.
While in 2018 the dispute for third place brought a mix of novelty and pride, due to an unexpected campaign, now, in 2026, the consolation match is perceived as a burden. Tuchel himself expressed this feeling in his press conference, shortly after the painful elimination against Argentina.
The drop in the competition generated deep frustration across English territory, especially given the height of expectations that had been cultivated by both the FA itself and the players.
The optimism was so great that Thomas Tuchel and members of the FA’s top leadership even planned to get commemorative tattoos. The objective was to immortalize the conquest of a possible second world title, a dream that has now come to an end, considering that the English team only has one World Cup title, won in 1966.
Tuchel’s stay despite elimination in the semi-final
Despite the strong criticism directed at the team’s performance in the semi-final, Thomas Tuchel’s position remains assured. The 52-year-old coach’s agreement included well-defined termination clauses in cases of early elimination from the World Cup, such as in the group stage, round of 16 or quarter-finals. There was also a special prediction for the eventual exit in the round of 16, due to a possible challenging clash against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.
Once Tuchel led England to the World Cup semi-final, a feat that marks the fourth time in the team’s history, none of the conditions for his performance-based dismissal were triggered.
The German coach is expected to remain in his post, fulfilling his contract with the FA, until the 2028 Euro Cup.
