Thomas Tuchel has been told he has “done nothing” so far as England manager, according to Michael Owen, who shared his thoughts with GOAL. The former striker also outlined what would be considered “par” for the Three Lions at the upcoming World Cup, after they cruised through what he described as another “waste of time” qualification campaign. As England prepare to chase global glory once again, Tuchel has already been given a contract extension.

Tuchel tasked with ending England’s six-decade wait for a major triumph

The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain coach officially took charge of the England national team in January 2025, stepping into the role following Sir Gareth Southgate’s resignation after a second European Championship final defeat. Tuchel’s impressive résumé — featuring domestic league titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy — made him the kind of proven winner that England fans have long desired. It has been 60 years since the legendary 1966 squad lifted the World Cup at Wembley Stadium.

England supporters are now hoping Tuchel can be the man to finally bring football “home”. His start has been smooth, with England conceding no goals and collecting maximum points from eight matches during their qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

Has Tuchel earned his contract extension through Euro 2028?

Tuchel initially signed an 18-month contract, meant to cover a single major tournament. However, the Football Association has now extended his deal to include England’s home European Championship in 2028. Some, though, wonder if that decision came too soon.

Speaking exclusively to GOAL in partnership with England World Cup odds, former England striker Michael Owen commented: “I have to admit, I was surprised. I like Thomas Tuchel; I think he’s an excellent manager. But you probably know my stance on the England job — I believe it should go to an English coach, full stop. Still, I was surprised he got an extension.”

Owen continued, “It’s good to show commitment before a big tournament, but we haven’t even played one with him yet. He hasn’t done anything so far that makes you think, ‘wow, this is brilliant.’ Everyone qualifies. We could almost do it with our eyes closed in these pointless qualifying groups. We win every game, don’t concede a goal — it’s basically a waste of time. He hasn’t done anything extraordinary yet, so rewarding him already was quite surprising.”

Can England avoid tough questions at the World Cup?

Now Tuchel must justify the faith shown in him. Delivering World Cup success would be the ultimate payoff, potentially elevating him to legendary status. But failure to achieve meaningful progress could quickly bring scrutiny.

When asked if Tuchel would face pressure even with his new contract if England fail to reach at least the quarter-finals in North America this summer, Owen said: “If we go out in the group stage or the next round — unless we’re eliminated by a top side early — yes, there will be questions. Obviously, it depends on the circumstances, but if we don’t reach the quarter-finals, that would be seen as disappointing. I think the quarter-finals would be considered par. Anything less, and serious questions will be asked.”

England’s World Cup opener set against Croatia

Tuchel understands the scale of the challenge ahead. The 52-year-old German coach knows that in international football, results are everything. Anything short of tangible success will likely be viewed as failure. With a squad packed with 26 top-tier players, Tuchel begins his World Cup journey on June 17 when England face Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in their opening match of the 2026 tournament.

How far can England go at the World Cup?