- Tuchel will officially start his reign as England manager in a just week’s time
- He took to social media to speak to fans and wish them well on Christmas Day
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
England manager Thomas Tuchel has issued a Christmas message to Three Lions fans on social media as his official takeover date continues to near.
The German, who has previously managed Chelsea and was last in charge of Bayern Munich, will officially start his reign as England boss on January 1 – now just a week away.
His first game in charge will be March 21 next year when the Three Lions face Albania in their first match of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
His side will then take on Latvia and Andorra before the current season is up.
On Wednesday, however, he took to social media to share a 27-word message to England fans on the official England channels, where he was seen suited and booted and standing outside.
He said: ‘A short message to all our England fans: Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Stay safe happy holidays and see you soon in the stadium. Bye.’
England manager Thomas Tuchel shared a message to England fans on Christmas Day
Tuchel appeared to speak from Zurich, where he attended the World Cup qualifying draw earlier this month
Also shared to the channels was a video of a number of England stars wishing fans a Merry Christmas, including men’s captain Harry Kane, women’s star Mary Earps and the likes of Conor Gallagher, Anthony Gordon and Chloe Kelly.
Tuchel has kept a low profile since being confirmed as the England team’s new boss in October, and didn’t attend his side’s most recent matches under Lee Carsley.
However, the German attended the World Cup qualifying draw in Zurich at the start of December when his new team will discovered who will face to make it through to World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
It appeared that was when the video, shared on Christmas Day, was filmed.
Tuchel, 51, will succeed Gareth Southgate, who spent eight years in the role and led the Three Lions to the European Championship finals as well as the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Lee Carsley took charge of the team on an interim basis after Southgate left and was at one point thought to be in the running for the full-time role.
The 2026 edition will see 16 groups of three teams, rather than eight groups of four, before getting into the knockout rounds.
Tuchel has a glittering CV at club level, but has never managed an international side.
Tuchel will replace Gareth Southgate, who left England after the European Championship final
Tuchel has never managed at international level but coached captain Harry Kane at Bayern Munich in Germany
The 51-year-old has managed five teams, including Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Bayern.
The England job will be his first since he left Bayern at the end of last season.
Tuchel famously led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, just four months after replacing Frank Lampard in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
He also won the Club World Cup with the Blues, and has claimed league titles at PSG and Bayern, though he moved on from German giants after they finished third in the Bundesliga last term.
