Thomas Tuchel

Tuchel's England reached the World Cup quarter-final for a second straight tournament, beating co-host Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca on 5 July despite Jarell Quansah's 54th-minute red card. The win came at a cost: Quansah's suspension and Jordan Henderson's serious wrist injury, sustained falling from advertising hoardings while celebrating, leave Tuchel short of options for the last-eight tie against Norway in Miami on 11 July.

Tuchel built his reputation at Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, before an acrimonious spell at Bayern Munich. Appointed England manager in January 2025, he became only the second permanent overseas manager of the senior side after Sven-Goran Eriksson. His first major controversy came in March 2026 when he omitted Trent Alexander-Arnold from the provisional squad on tactical grounds, a decision he called 'maybe unfair'; Alexander-Arnold was recalled to the provisional list in May but was cut again from the final 26 on 22 May.

England's run to the last eight vindicates the defensive solidity Tuchel built his 4-3-3 to withstand exactly this kind of setback. With Quansah banned and Henderson unavailable, the Norway quarter-final is the sternest test yet of a squad built on tactical fit over individual brilliance, the same principle that made the Alexander-Arnold decision so contentious in the first place.