Thomas Tuchel facts for kids
Tuchel with Paris Saint-Germain in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 August 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Krumbach, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
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England (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1979–1987 | TSV Krumbach | ||
| 1987–1992 | FC Augsburg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1994 | Stuttgarter Kickers | 8 | (1) |
| 1995–1998 | SSV Ulm | 69 | (2) |
| Total | 77 | (3) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2007–2008 | FC Augsburg II | ||
| 2009–2014 | Mainz 05 | ||
| 2015–2017 | Borussia Dortmund | ||
| 2018–2020 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
| 2021–2022 | Chelsea | ||
| 2023–2024 | Bayern Munich | ||
| 2025– | England | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Thomas Tuchel (born 29 August 1973) is a German professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national team. Many people consider Tuchel to be one of the best football managers in the world because of his smart and new ideas for how teams should play.
Tuchel was born in Krumbach, Germany. He stopped playing football at age 25 because of a knee injury. He started coaching in 2000 with youth teams at VfB Stuttgart. In 2009, he became the head coach of Mainz 05. He later managed Borussia Dortmund, where he won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup).
In 2018, Tuchel joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He led them to win two league titles and a domestic quadruple (four trophies in one season). He also guided PSG to their first ever UEFA Champions League final. In 2021, Tuchel became the head coach of Chelsea. He won the Champions League in his first season. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and Chelsea's first FIFA Club World Cup. After leaving Chelsea in 2022, he managed Bayern Munich in 2023, winning the Bundesliga (German league). He became the England national team coach in January 2025.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Thomas Tuchel was born in Krumbach, Bavaria. He started playing football at his local club, TSV Krumbach, where his father was his coach. In 1988, Tuchel joined the FC Augsburg youth academy. He never played for their main team and left at age 19.
After leaving Augsburg, Tuchel joined 2. Bundesliga team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992. He played eight games during the 1992–93 season. He then moved to Regionalliga Süd side SSV Ulm in 1995. Playing as a central defender, he stayed with SSV Ulm until 1998. He had to retire from playing at 25 due to a knee cartilage injury.
Coaching Journey Begins
Early Coaching Steps
Tuchel started his coaching career in 2000 at VfB Stuttgart. He worked as a youth team coach, helping young players develop. He led the club's under-19 team to win the Bundesliga title in the 2004–05 season.
In 2005, Tuchel returned to Augsburg as the youth team coordinator. He later became the first team coach at FC Augsburg II for the 2007–08 season. During this time, he coached Julian Nagelsmann, who later became a famous coach himself. Tuchel's Augsburg II team finished fourth in their league.
Leading Mainz 05
Tuchel's work at Augsburg II caught the attention of bigger clubs. In 2009, he was hired by Bundesliga club Mainz 05. He had previously worked as a youth coach at Mainz for a year, winning the U-19 Bundesliga.
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At Mainz, Tuchel used smart tactics. Even with players who were not as famous, he taught them to pass the ball long and press opponents when they didn't have the ball. This helped them create chances by winning the ball back quickly. In his first season, Mainz finished ninth in the league.
In the next season, Mainz had an amazing start. They won their first seven games, including a victory against Bayern Munich. Tuchel led the team to a fifth-place finish, which meant they qualified for the Europa League. Mainz scored 52 goals that season, with André Schürrle scoring fifteen and Sami Allagui ten.
Mainz finished thirteenth in the following season. They lost Schürrle and struggled to score goals. However, new player Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored ten goals. In the 2012–13 season, Mainz again finished thirteenth. Ádám Szalai scored thirteen goals, helping with the team's scoring issues.
In his final season with Mainz, Tuchel guided them to a seventh-place finish. This qualified them for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League group stages. He brought in Japanese forward Shinji Okazaki, who scored 15 goals, a record for a Japanese player in the Bundesliga. Tuchel decided to leave Mainz in May 2014. He felt he couldn't help the team improve further. He left Mainz with 72 wins, 46 draws, and 64 losses in 182 games.
Time at Borussia Dortmund
Becoming Dortmund's Coach
In April 2015, Jürgen Klopp announced he would leave Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund quickly chose Tuchel as their new head coach. They wanted someone with a similar style of play that focused on pressing. Tuchel signed a three-year deal starting on 1 July 2015. He returned to coaching after a year away.
Tuchel worked to keep important players at Dortmund. He also brought in new players like Roman Bürki and Julian Weigl, who had great potential. He changed the players' diets, replacing pasta with healthier wholemeal products. Tactically, Tuchel often used a 4–1–4–1 formation. This helped Dortmund create chances by attacking quickly from wide areas. He also used a 4–2–3–1 formation, with players like Shinji Kagawa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan creating space.
First Season Success
Tuchel's team was unbeaten in his first fourteen matches at Borussia Dortmund. In the 2015–16 season, they reached the DFB-Pokal final but lost to Bayern Munich on penalties. They were also knocked out of the Europa League by Liverpool, who were coached by Klopp.
Dortmund scored 82 goals in the 2015–16 Bundesliga, a club record. They finished second in the Bundesliga, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Their 78 points were the second highest in the club's history.
Winning the DFB-Pokal
For the next season, Dortmund spent a lot of money on new players. They needed to replace important players like Mats Hummels, İlkay Gündoğan, and Mkhitaryan. Players like Ousmane Dembélé, Marc Bartra, and Mario Götze joined the club. Tuchel moved Raphaël Guerreiro from left-back to midfield, which worked well.
Dortmund reached the DFB-Pokal final again. Tuchel won his first major trophy as a coach when they beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2–1. Dembélé and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the goals. The team finished third in the Bundesliga. They were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Monaco.
Despite winning the DFB-Pokal, Tuchel was dismissed three days later on 30 May 2017. He left Dortmund with 68 wins, 23 draws, and 17 defeats in 108 games. His win percentage was 62.96%.
Leading Paris Saint-Germain
First Season in Paris
In May 2018, Tuchel signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He replaced Unai Emery. Tuchel's first big move was signing Kylian Mbappé permanently. He also brought in players like Thilo Kehrer and Juan Bernat.
Tuchel won his first trophy with PSG, beating Monaco 4–0 in the Trophée des Champions on 4 August. He also won his first league game. Tuchel set a new record by winning his first twelve league games in a row. PSG topped their Champions League group.
In January 2019, PSG was knocked out of the Coupe de la Ligue. However, they later beat the same team 9–0 in the league, which was PSG's biggest home win ever. PSG was knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester United. They won the first leg 2–0 away but lost 1–3 at home. PSG won the Ligue 1 title on 21 April, which was Tuchel's first league title as a coach. Six days later, PSG lost the 2019 Coupe de France final on penalties.
Winning Many Trophies
After his first season, Tuchel signed a one-year contract extension until 2021. He brought in hardworking midfielders like Ander Herrera and Pablo Sarabia. The club also signed central defender Abdou Diallo and goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Tuchel started his second season by winning the Trophée des Champions again on 3 August 2019. PSG won their first Champions League game 3–0 against Real Madrid. They qualified for the knockout stage with two games to spare. PSG went on an unbeaten run, scoring many goals in domestic cup competitions.
On 18 February 2020, PSG lost 2–1 to Dortmund in the Champions League. However, they won the second leg 2–0 at home to advance. The domestic league was canceled on 30 April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PSG returned to play on 24 July, winning the Coupe de France 1–0. On 31 July, PSG defeated Lyon on penalties in the 2020 Coupe de la Ligue final. This completed a domestic treble (winning three major trophies).
On 12 August, PSG beat Atalanta 2–1 in the Champions League quarter-finals. This was their first semi-final appearance since 1995. In the semi-final, PSG defeated RB Leipzig 3–0 to reach their first ever Champions League final. They lost the final 1–0 to Bayern Munich on 23 August.
Final Season in Paris
In his third transfer window, PSG let go of some players like Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani. They signed Mauro Icardi permanently and brought in players like Alessandro Florenzi on loan. PSG started their league season with two losses. This was the first time they lost their opening two league games since 1984–85.
Tuchel secured PSG's first league win on 16 September. This started a streak of 8 straight wins. However, after only 3 more league wins, Tuchel was dismissed on 24 December. PSG was third in Ligue 1 at the time. He left PSG with 95 wins, 13 draws, and 19 defeats in 127 games. His win percentage was 75.6%, the best in Ligue 1 history.
Managing Chelsea
Winning the Champions League
On 26 January 2021, Tuchel signed an 18-month contract with Premier League club Chelsea. He became the first German coach for the club.
Tuchel's first match was a 0–0 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He won his first game on 31 January, beating Burnley 2–0. He then won his first London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Tuchel led Chelsea to the FA Cup quarter-finals. His unbeaten run extended to eight games after Chelsea defeated Atlético Madrid 1–0 in the Champions League.
On 8 March, Tuchel's unbeaten run reached eleven games. He became the first Premier League coach to keep five clean sheets in his first five home matches. His unbeaten run reached 13 games after beating Atlético Madrid 2–0 in the Champions League. This set a new record for Chelsea. The unbeaten run ended at 14 games with a 5–2 loss to West Bromwich Albion. During this run, Chelsea only conceded two goals.
On 17 April, Tuchel led Chelsea to the FA Cup final by beating Manchester City 1–0. Chelsea later lost the final 1–0 to Leicester City. Tuchel also guided Chelsea to the Champions League final after beating Real Madrid. He became the first coach to reach consecutive finals with two different clubs. He led Chelsea to win the Champions League with a 1–0 victory over Manchester City. After this, Tuchel signed a contract extension until 2024.
Club World Cup Champions
In his first full transfer window at Chelsea, Tuchel signed Romelu Lukaku for a club-record fee. Chelsea started the season with an eight-game unbeaten streak. They won the UEFA Super Cup before losing to Manchester City.
On 20 October, Chelsea had their biggest win under Tuchel, beating Malmö 4–0 in the Champions League. Three days later, they won 7–0 against Norwich City. Chelsea then had a 12-match unbeaten run. A month later, Tuchel led Chelsea to the EFL Cup final. They lost the final to Liverpool on penalties. On 12 February, Tuchel won the FIFA Club World Cup after a 2–1 extra time win. This was Chelsea's first Club World Cup win.
On 12 March, Chelsea F.C. faced financial restrictions due to sanctions. Tuchel was praised for staying calm and leading the club during this difficult time. Chelsea lost 4–1 to Brentford on 2 April. A week later, they won 6–0 away at Southampton. On 12 April, Chelsea lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Four days later, Tuchel led Chelsea to their second successive FA Cup final. However, they lost to Liverpool on penalties again.
Leaving Chelsea
On 30 May 2022, Chelsea was bought by a new group. Tuchel and Chelsea spent a lot of money on new players for the 2022–23 season. They signed players like Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Chelsea started their league season with a 1–0 win. On 14 August, Tuchel was sent off after a heated moment with Antonio Conte during a 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. He was fined and given a one-match ban. On 7 September 2022, Tuchel was dismissed as Chelsea's manager. This happened after a 1–0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Tuchel later said he did not expect to leave Chelsea. He felt "honoured to have been a part of [the] club's history". He left Chelsea with 60 wins, 24 draws, and 16 defeats in 100 games. His win percentage was 60%.
Leading Bayern Munich
Winning the Bundesliga
On 24 March 2023, Tuchel became the head coach at Bayern Munich. He replaced Julian Nagelsmann. Tuchel's first game was a 4–2 win against his old club Borussia Dortmund on 1 April. In his second game, Bayern was knocked out of the DFB-Pokal. They were also eliminated from the Champions League by Manchester City.
Despite some losses, Bayern won the Bundesliga title on the final day of the season. Dortmund drew their game, while Bayern won 2–1 against FC Köln with a late goal from Jamal Musiala. This secured Bayern's 11th consecutive Bundesliga title and Tuchel's third league title. Bayern later signed Kim Min-jae and broke the Bundesliga transfer record by signing Harry Kane.
Champions League Semi-Finals
Bayern lost the 2023 DFL-Supercup 3–0. They had a strong start to the Bundesliga season but were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal in November. They also topped their Champions League group. However, they lost two league games in February 2024. Bayern were beaten 1–0 by Lazio in the Champions League round of 16 first leg. One week later, it was announced Tuchel would leave Bayern at the end of the 2023–24 season.
Bayern recovered in the second leg, beating Lazio 3–0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. They scored 13 goals in their next two league games, including an 8–1 win against Mainz. However, Bayern could not win the Bundesliga, ending their 11-year winning streak. The club reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2020. They defeated Arsenal 3–2 on aggregate. Tuchel became the first German coach to reach this stage with three different clubs.
Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League in a 2–1 defeat to Real Madrid on 8 May. Tuchel's final Bayern game was a 4–2 loss against Hoffenheim. Bayern finished third in the league, their worst finish since 2010.
Coaching England
On 16 October 2024, Tuchel was announced as the head coach of the England national team. His role officially began on 1 January 2025. His coaching team includes Anthony Barry and Hilário. Tuchel is the first German and third foreign head coach of England. He said he felt a "personal connection to the game in this country" and that it was a "huge privilege" to represent England.
In March 2025, Tuchel selected his first 26-man squad for England's FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This included new call-ups and the return of players like Marcus Rashford. Tuchel led England to a 2–0 victory against Albania on 21 March 2025 in his first match as national team coach.
Manager Profile
Training Methods and Ideas
Tuchel is known for his creative training methods. At Mainz and Dortmund, he used unusual drills. For example, he made players hold tennis balls during defensive practice to help them avoid fouls. He also made training very challenging so that actual games felt easier.
Tuchel is a very detailed analyst. He has used ideas from other sports like archery and kick-boxing in his training. He once made his Mainz team train with a handball club for almost a month. Tuchel also focused on mental training, sharing articles and books with his players. He initially changed players' diets to healthier options.
At Chelsea, Tuchel's training sessions were lighter. He used different drills, sometimes with smaller footballs or using hands instead of feet. He also managed recovery carefully, with lighter sessions or rest days after big games. As England manager, Tuchel watches many matches on screen to analyze tactics, even if he doesn't attend live games.
Tactical Approach
Tuchel is called a "tactical chameleon" because he is very flexible with his strategies. He focuses on controlling the ball and attacking to score many goals. He is often compared to Pep Guardiola for his smart tactical ideas. Chelsea fans even called him Tommy Tactics.
At Mainz, Tuchel's teams changed their formation often during games to counter opponents' strengths. At Dortmund, he used 4–1–4–1 and 4–2–3–1 formations. He made his team control the ball more, increasing their average possession.
At Paris Saint-Germain, Tuchel mainly used a 4–3–3 formation. This helped highlight the attacking skills of players like Neymar and Mbappé. He also used up to ten different formations. His teams often used Gegenpressing, which means trying to win the ball back immediately after losing it.
At Chelsea, Tuchel often changed his starting lineup. He mostly preferred a 3–4–2–1 formation. This formation used wingbacks like Reece James and Ben Chilwell for width. This helped Chelsea score many goals from winning the ball back high up the pitch. His team played with calm possession to prevent counterattacks.
At Bayern Munich, Tuchel used a 4-2-3-1 formation. His full-backs stayed deeper to provide options out wide. He used midfielders like Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka to help move the ball forward. This approach helped Bayern create many scoring chances.
How People See Him
Jürgen Klopp has called Tuchel an "outstanding coach." Pep Guardiola also admires Tuchel's ideas, saying he is "so creative" and "excellent in all departments." Hansi Kleitsch, a youth coach at Stuttgart, said Tuchel had "X-ray vision" for analyzing opponents.
Tuchel is open to new football ideas. He visited Matthew Benham, owner of Brentford, to learn about statistical models. He also looked at online tactical blogs for inspiration. He introduced "differential learning" at Dortmund, which helps players improve by solving changing problems.
Barney Ronay from The Guardian described Tuchel as having "restless intelligence" and an "obsession with detail." Gonzalo Castro, who played for Tuchel, said he organizes everything "precisely." Tuchel is also known for motivating his players. At Mainz, he once buried the club badge and promised to dig it up if his youth team reached a final. They won, and he kept his promise.
Nikolče Noveski, who played for both Tuchel and Klopp, said Tuchel was more focused on "finer details" and "unparalleled" preparation. Marcus Bettinelli noted that Tuchel is friendly with all staff, asking about their families. Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta said Tuchel's way of managing players was key to Chelsea's success. Tuchel also organized team outings and even cooked for his players. As England manager, he texts players to discuss their performance and offer support.
Some people have criticized Tuchel for being too harsh. There were reports of him yelling at players. Some former players called him "a dictator" or said he was "very unforgiving." His agent said his energy is powerful but can also be "all or nothing."
Personal Life
As a child, Thomas Tuchel loved football. His first football hero was Hans-Günter Bruns.
Tuchel studied business administration at Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University. He also worked as a bartender while he was a student.
Tuchel married Sissi in 2009, and they have two daughters. In April 2022, they divorced. Tuchel is currently in a relationship with Natalie Max. He speaks several languages, including German, French, English, Luxembourgish, and Italian. He describes himself as an "imperfect vegetarian" and drinks very little alcohol. Tuchel enjoys reading crime thrillers and books about architecture. He is also a fan of tennis, rock music, and hip hop.
Managerial Statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| FC Augsburg II | 1 July 2007 | 30 June 2008 | 34 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 58.82 | |
| Mainz 05 | 3 August 2009 | 11 May 2014 | 184 | 72 | 46 | 66 | 39.13 | |
| Borussia Dortmund | 29 June 2015 | 30 May 2017 | 107 | 67 | 23 | 17 | 62.62 | |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 14 May 2018 | 24 December 2020 | 127 | 95 | 13 | 19 | 74.80 | |
| Chelsea | 26 January 2021 | 7 September 2022 | 100 | 60 | 24 | 16 | 60.00 | |
| Bayern Munich | 24 March 2023 | 18 May 2024 | 61 | 37 | 8 | 16 | 60.66 | |
| England | 1 January 2025 | Present | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.00 | |
| Career Total | 617 | 354 | 122 | 141 | 57.37 | |||
Honours
Manager
Borussia Dortmund
- DFB-Pokal: 2016–17
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2018–19, 2019–20
- Coupe de France: 2019–20; runner-up: 2018–19
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2019–20
- Trophée des Champions: 2018, 2019
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2019–20
Chelsea
- UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
- UEFA Super Cup: 2021
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2021
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2022–23
Individual
- VDV Bundesliga Coach of the Season: 2015–16
- Premier League Manager of the Month: March 2021, October 2021
- German Football Manager of the Year: 2021
- UEFA Men's Coach of the Year: 2020–21
- IFFHS Men's World's Best Club Coach: 2021
- The Best FIFA Football Coach: 2021
Images for kids
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Tuchel coaches Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly against Dynamo Dresden in 2019
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Tuchel (right) with Pablo Sarabia in 2019
See also
In Spanish: Thomas Tuchel para niños
