Tuchel, who previously managed top clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor with a clear mission: to lead England to World Cup glory. Southgate, while successful in guiding England to the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and the finals of back-to-back European Championships, was unable to end the nation’s long wait for a major trophy, which dates back to the 1966 World Cup.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Kane highlighted Tuchel’s enthusiasm and clarity as key factors that could propel England to success. “You can see he’s extremely proud to be here and excited to be here,” Kane said. “And I think that’s exciting for the players as well, because we’re in this together. We have a big journey ahead, but what can be an amazing journey as well.”
England is set to play two World Cup qualifiers at Wembley Stadium this week—against Albania on Friday and Latvia on Monday. These matches will mark Tuchel’s first games in charge, offering a glimpse into his tactical vision for the team.
Kane, who worked closely with Tuchel during their time together at Bayern Munich last season, praised the coach’s ability to maximize his potential as a striker. Under Tuchel’s guidance, Kane scored an impressive 44 goals for Bayern, and the England captain believes the German manager’s approach will benefit the national team as well.
“There’s no real rules to how I play; he sees me as a number nine,” Kane explained. “I think he sees me as the guy to be in the box and score the goals. He’s already spoken a lot about getting as many balls as we can into the box as quickly as we can.”
Tuchel’s track record speaks for itself. He won the Champions League with Chelsea, secured back-to-back French league titles with PSG, and claimed the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich. Kane described him as a “straight-talking” coach who knows exactly what he wants from his team.
Reflecting on England’s recent performances, Tuchel acknowledged that fear of failure may have hindered the team at the 2024 European Championship. However, he emphasized a shift in mindset under his leadership. “I want England to play with the excitement, the hunger, and the desire to win,” Tuchel said.
He outlined his focus on key performance metrics, such as increasing touches in the opponent’s box, creating more attacking opportunities, and achieving a higher number of high ball recoveries. “Anything can happen in football. We know this,” Tuchel added. “But the focus is on winning. It’s on a higher number of touches in the opponent’s box, a higher amount of attacks, a higher amount of high ball recoveries. This is where the focus is.”
With Tuchel at the helm and Kane leading the charge on the pitch, England fans will be hopeful that this new era can finally deliver the long-awaited major trophy.