THOMAS Tuchel has officially been confirmed as the new manager of the Three Lions.
The German tactician, 51, has inked an 18-month contract worth a reported £5million-per-year.
He was announced on England’s X account on Wednesday morning as Gareth Southgate’s successor.
Lee Carsley will remain at the helm for England‘s final two Nations League games against Greece and Ireland next month.
Tuchel, who signed his contract on October 8 before the games against Greece and Finland, will then take over in January.
England’s X bio reads: “The Thomas Tuchel era begins in January.”
The 51-year-old will become England’s third foreign manager after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Tuchel said: “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team.
“I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already.
“To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.
“Working closely with Anthony [Barry] as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud.
“I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together.”
Away from the game, Tuchel’s love life has drawn plenty of gossip.
When he moved to our shores from PSG to coach Chelsea, he was soon followed by journalist, Sissi.
However, they divorced in 2022 and it didn’t take long for Tuchel to move on.
He quickly found love with Brazilian beauty Natalie Max – 13 years his junior.
Tuchel’s romantic life has seemed quite messy.
Sissi
In April 2022, Tuchel and Sissi announced they were getting divorced.
They had been married for 13 years, but it was said they had exhausted all avenues in trying to make their relationship work.
It was concluded that there would be no chance of a resolution.
The pair headed to London’s High Court, where a judge accepted their request a month later.
A source told the Mail on Sunday: “Sissi and Thomas have tried to avoid splitting but in the end there was no other way.
“It is very sad and now it is all about making sure their daughters are the top priority. Papers were lodged last week to get the divorce under way.”
Sissi moved to London some seven months after Tuchel was hired by the Blues.
The family set up a home in Cobham, Surrey when he moved out of a hotel.
It was reported Sissi gave up her job at the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung to raise their two children.
Famously, she was seen running across the pitch at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao, before jumping in his arms when Chelsea recorded a Champions League final win over Man City.
She was credited as being an integral part of Tuchel’s inner circle, who helped him become one of the game’s most desired managers.
Natalie
Two months after his divorce with Sissi was finalised, Tuchel was already back on the dating scene.
He was spotted with Brazilian beauty Natalie Max, who is 13 years his junior, on board a private yacht in Sardinia.
Tuchel and the mother of two went for a dip in the sea together, before heading to a £20,000-per-night villa.
One holidaymaker told The Sun: “They looked very much in love. At one stage Natalie ran her hand round the back of his neck and leaned in for a kiss.
“They went swimming, chilled on the beach, lunched in the hotel’s restaurant and got a boat to the island of Caprera.”
Max, 37, is a director at consulting agency Natexo, a position she’s held since March 2014.
Not much else is known about the brunette, who seemingly likes to keep a relatively low profile.
But that will change in the coming months now that her other half has accepted arguably the biggest job in world football.
Talk of the locker room
Trouble at Chelsea was already brewing in the summer of the 2022, when American businessman Todd Boehly launched his takeover.
Tuchel was unhappy with being given extra responsibilities in terms of buying, selling and negotiating for players, according to the Telegraph.
The German also publicly revealed he had no involvement in the appointment of a new Sporting Director at the club, which outlined a distance between him and the new ownership.
A separate report claimed Tuchel’s romance with Natalie became a hot topic in the dressing room, as per the Independent.
It was claimed that the perception of their manager had changed over his split with his wife, so he had ultimately lost their respect.
ANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love life
By Andy Dillon
THOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.
Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.
English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.
Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.
Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.
Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.
Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.
An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.
Read more on why Tuchel REALLY IS the best man for the England job
However, no such issues regarding his private life hindered his role at Bayern Munich.
And Tuchel will be taking on the Three Lions job with a clean slate.
