Online ReporterGERMAN Thomas Tuchel will become the third non-British permanent manager to lead the England side after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Under Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and lost in the 2021 and 2024 Euros finals.
For the 51-year-old Tuchel, who has an 18-month contract, his job brief is clear, but hugely difficult – to qualify for and then win the 2026 World Cup.
He will be looking to make a lightning start as England have two home qualifiers first up – Albania at Wembley before entertaining Latvia on Monday.
But what can they expect from Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021, and who has also managed Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich?
BBC Sport has spoken to those who know Tuchel well to find out more.
Tuchel, who stands at 1,93m was a defender during his playing days.
He began at second-tier German side Stuttgarter Kickers, before three years at third division team SSV Ulm until a serious knee injury ended his playing career in 1998, when he was 25.
His boss at Ulm was Ralf Rangnick, who went on to manage Schalke, RB Leipzig, Manchester United and is now Austria’s head coach.
“He was always interested in why we were doing certain things,” said Rangnick. “After a couple of weeks, you can tell what player could become a coach – he was always asking questions.”
In 2000, a successful coaching career seemed a long way off for Tuchel, who was pulling pints and collecting glasses.
“When I became head coach of Stuttgart, I found out he was working in a bar to earn a living, I could hardly believe it,” added Rangnick.
“I called him and said, ‘Why don’t you come to us and work as a youth team coach?’ That’s how his coaching career started.
“It was clear he shouldn’t be working in a bar and would much rather be on a pitch with a team.”
Tuchel worked with Stuttgart Under-15s and a few years later would guide their Under-19s to their league title.
His first managerial role came in 2007 at FC Augsburg II and two years later he was in charge of Bundesliga outfit Mainz, who had Jurgen Klopp among their former bosses.
Rangnick was not surprised Tuchel would manage at the top level and added: “Thomas is a very bright, intelligent person. He studied sports in Stuttgart. It was obvious he had quite a few assets of what you need as a manager.”
Tuchel would also learn from, and emulate, those around him.
In five years at Mainz, he qualified for Europe twice, guiding them to fifth in 2010-11, their best ever Bundesliga position.
“Tuchel is someone who has been influenced by a lot of managers and coaches – it’s clear he has a constant desire to learn, to be open-minded and curious,” said former Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger.
“Ralf Rangnick is one of the coaches who has influenced him – what are you doing when you don’t have the ball, how do you win it back, then how do you create chances and score goals?
“Tuchel took elements of that, but another element is focused on what you do with the ball too.
“With that aspect, Tuchel is very close to Pep Guardiola in terms of the way he thinks about football and how to create chances from your own possession.
“Pep was more of a coach he looked up to, in the time they spent together in the Bundesliga (when Guardiola was in charge of Bayern Munich) there was a bond, a relationship forged. They are still friends and they talk regularly.”
In 2015, Tuchel began his next challenge, replacing Liverpool-bound Klopp as boss of Borussia Dortmund.
During Klopp’s seven years at Dortmund, he had won the Bundesliga twice and reached the Champions League final, and Tuchel had to win over his new players, with not all of them keen.
“I honestly didn’t expect much when it was announced he was going to be the new manager. I was even in talks maybe to leave the club,” recalled former Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
“I had one phone call with him and he presented himself to me when I was on holiday in the summer break, and it was actually a really good call.
“He tried to explain a few things, how he wanted us to play, how he wanted us to train and everything he said he proved during that season.”
Gundogan joined Manchester City after Dortmund finished second in the Bundesliga at the end of that 2015-16 campaign, while Tuchel claimed the first major trophy of his career, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the final of the German Cup in May 2017, in what proved to be his last match at the club.
Former Germany international Gundogan, though, was completely won over by Tuchel in their sole season together.
“I can only say positive things about him from when we were at Dortmund,” he added. “He’s outstanding tactically and extremely honest and open. Personally, I got along very well with him.”
Hitzlsperger felt Tuchel’s man-management skills would be key to success with England and added: “The players Tuchel has worked with in the past are very positive about him, and the way he communicates his ideas to them.
“I don’t think the fact he is German will make any difference.” – BBC Sport/Sports Reporter.
Peter Tanyanyiwa