Tuchel Begins England Tenure Against Albania
Thomas Tuchel has commenced his role as England’s national team boss, taking charge for the first time in Friday night’s World Cup qualifying match against Albania at Wembley Stadium.
Walker Named in First Starting XI
The German coach has included Kyle Walker in his inaugural starting lineup for the Three Lions.
- Key Selection: Veteran defender Kyle Walker secures a starting position.
- Debut Call-Ups: Dan Burn and Myles Lewis-Skelly set for their first England appearances.
Walker, the experienced AC Milan defender, was selected ahead of contenders Tino Livramento of Newcastle and Reece James from Chelsea for the right-back position against Albania.
Approaching his 100th international cap, this match marks Walker’s 94th appearance for his country.
Marcus Rashford also returns to the squad, making his first international start since November 2023. His inclusion follows a return to form after transferring from Manchester United to Aston Villa.
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Dan Burn, following his impressive performance against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup six days prior, receives his first England cap from Tuchel, alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly who is also set to debut for England tonight.
Kyle Walker features in Thomas Tuchel’s first lineup as England manager for the match against the Three Lions.
Guehi Misses Out on Starting Place
Marc Guehi, a regular starter for England during Euro 2024, will begin this match on the bench.
Despite starting in almost every game for England at the previous European Championship – only being rested for the penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals – Guehi has been omitted from the starting eleven.
Tuchel has opted to field Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa instead of the Crystal Palace central defender.
Tuchel’s Vision for England
Ahead of his anticipated reign, Tuchel offered a critical assessment of England’s performance under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.
Outlining what he perceived as lacking, Tuchel mentioned: ‘Identity, clarity, rhythm, consistent patterns, player freedom, expressive play, and hunger. I observed a team more concerned with avoiding tournament elimination than driven by the ambition and desire to win.’
Regarding his aspirations for England as they prepare to face Albania and then Latvia, Tuchel stated: ‘My aim is that when opponents see our team in the tunnel, they immediately recognize the challenge ahead. They should expect a difficult encounter against individually talented players from top clubs who are united, determined, and ready to fight for each other.’
Tuchel emphasized the directness of his communication: ‘Any sentiments I express in press conferences have already been conveyed to the players. They are aware of my Euro 2024 assessment, but my focus is forward-looking. My message is about future aspirations. I felt a degree of reservation previously – the team didn’t display sufficient excitement and unity to achieve success.’
Tuchel has awarded England debuts to Dan Burn and Myles Lewis-Skelly for the Albania qualifier.
World Cup Qualification Campaign Begins
England enters the FIFA World Cup qualification stage ranked fourth globally.
In Group K, England is placed alongside Albania, Andorra, Latvia, and Serbia.
Group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America, while second-place teams will enter further qualifiers. The remaining teams will not progress.
Avoiding Early Setback
A defeat to Albania would make Tuchel only the second permanent England manager to lose his debut match. Remarkably, England’s last ten permanent managers have all won their first games, avoiding defeat entirely.
This undefeated streak began with Graham Taylor in 1990, whose team secured a 1-0 victory over Hungary at Wembley.