England: Thomas Tuchel issues latest update on contract extension 'possibility' | OneFootball

German’s mandate is to win World Cup 2026

Thomas Tuchel has admitted there is a “possibility” he could remain England manager beyond next summer but insists it is “not important” for his future to be decided before the World Cup.

Tuchel is over halfway through an 18-month contract as England head coach, hired last autumn by the FA with the express target of winning next summer’s expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Asked on Friday morning whether he could see himself staying on beyond the World Cup, he replied: “Yeah, it’s a lot of fun”, before adding that “there is nothing to announce right now”.

Tuchel has now spoken further about the possibility of remaining in position.

“I’m happy in the job,” he said, before being asked whether he had held informal conversations with the FA over the possibility to extend his reign.

“I’m not sure if I want to talk about that, especially not before a camp,” he said, hours after it was announced he had recalled Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden for his 25-man squad ahead of dead-rubber World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

“I know from many years in professional and club football what makes me happy and what brings the best out of me. I feel re-energised and I love to work with the players and be close to the Premier League. I know also the level of support and trust that I have.

“I feel that and I know very well I need that to be the best version of myself. This is everything in place and I’m very relaxed. I was the one in the first place to push for a short contract, to streamline it and go to the World Cup, because I was not fully aware of the job and what is needed and the demands, and how I would feel in the job.

“Nothing has changed so far. The focus is towards the World Cup and the federation knows that I’m happy and they feel it. They play a big part in me feeling good and re-energised.”

When asked about extending his stay as England head coach, Tuchel replied: “It’s a possibility.”

The German was probed on whether it mattered to him to have his future agreed in principle before heading into the World Cup.

“It’s not important,” he responded.

“No, of course [I would] not [rule out signing an extension before the tournament]. But it’s not a demand.”

Quizzed on what showing at the World Cup he would feel were deserving of a contract extension should he wish to stay, he replied: “That is a tricky question. I don’t want to talk about it right now. It will be a huge distraction if I give you a certain level that is a minimum demand to myself.

“Maybe we can talk openly about it before the World Cup, because why not? Then there is another level to it, there is a certain state we have to reach that I demand from myself. Otherwise, it’s not good enough.”

Tuchel went on to suggest that England fans would “understand” the Three Lions being knocked out of the World Cup if they did so “with pride”.

The 52-year-old continued: “I think we all understand that when it comes to knockout football, it’s ‘how do we go out?’. I think it’s different [between] if we lose 3-0 in a round of 32 or [round of] 16 to a huge underdog and we completely underperform.

“Or you lose with a red card in the second minute for the goalkeeper and you go out and you put up a big fight in a quarter-final and you go out on penalties and play 120 mins with ten men.

“I still feel the fans will understand if we go out with pride, if we go out with a top performance.”