Thomas Tuchel has secured a contract extension from the Football Association even before managing England in a major tournament, with Robbie Fowler telling GOAL that the German coach “has to win” the 2026 World Cup to justify that confidence. The former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich manager was appointed by the Three Lions due to his proven record of achieving success at the highest level.

England are determined to bring an end to 60 years of disappointment on the international stage. The heroes of 1966 remain the last men to have delivered a major trophy for the nation, their achievement still standing as a lonely highlight in English football history.

Gareth Southgate, who earned a knighthood after his contributions as England manager, came closer than anyone else to ending that drought. Under his leadership, the team reached a World Cup semi-final and two consecutive European Championship finals.

Tuchel’s England contract has now been extended until Euro 2028. After Southgate stepped down following the Euro 2024 defeat to Spain, the managerial reins were handed to Tuchel. He initially signed an 18-month deal taking him through to the end of the upcoming World Cup and successfully guided England through qualification without a hitch.

This progress prompted the 52-year-old to receive an extension covering another tournament cycle, culminating in the home European Championship in 2028. However, questions are being raised about whether the FA’s decision came too early, as Tuchel has not yet managed England in a competitive match.

When asked about the minimum expectations for Tuchel at the 2026 World Cup, former England striker Robbie Fowler – speaking exclusively to GOAL in association with BetMGM – said: “This is a tricky one for me because when you look at England’s recent history, they’ve reached two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final, and then the FA says, ‘something has to happen, we need to win.’”

He continued: “When the FA outlined the criteria for the new manager, they wanted someone with a track record of winning trophies and delivering success. Gareth Southgate, for me, was a good England manager. He took the team deep into major tournaments – the Euros and the World Cup – but perhaps they wanted someone who could take that final step. So naturally, Tuchel is the man brought in to achieve that.”

“In my view, reaching another World Cup quarter-final or semi-final isn’t enough. For me, he’s got to win it. I don’t mean that as a criticism because I rate him highly – he’s a top manager who will want to win and is capable of doing so. But given what the FA has indicated, they essentially want someone who can win a tournament. And that tournament is now. I think he’s got to win it.”

Tuchel will be acutely aware of the immense pressure and expectations surrounding his tenure. England fans have long dreamed of seeing football “come home” again, ever since Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup at Wembley Stadium nearly six decades ago.

Big names such as Don Revie, Sir Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Fabio Capello all tried and failed to guide the Three Lions back to glory. Tuchel’s mission to change that narrative will begin after friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica, with England set to open their World Cup campaign against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on June 17. They will then face Ghana and Panama in Group L, with the goal of building early momentum to mount a serious push for the title.