The German media reacted with a mix of pride, irony, and nationalistic glee to England's appointment of Thomas Tuchel as head coach. Bild, Germany's leading tabloid, ran a column titled 'The motherland of football gets a German dad. Madness!' highlighting England's trophy drought since 1966, while noting Germany's three World Cup and three European Championship wins since then. The article warned Tuchel of the 'brutal British TV pundit hell' and jokingly hoped for a World Cup final between England and Germany, with Germany winning on penalties.
German football expert Constantin Eckner told i that Tuchel's reputation in Germany has been damaged by his trophyless season at Bayern Munich. 'His stint at Bayern didn't do him many favours. He wasn't on the best of terms with some of the players,' Eckner said. While acknowledged as a great tactician, Tuchel is seen as a difficult character who can become tense and irritated under pressure. However, when things go well, he is described as charming and well-liked.
Tuchel, an avowed Anglophile, has previously stated he feels more appreciated in England than in Germany. His pursuit of English players at Bayern—signing Harry Kane and Eric Dier, and making offers for Kyle Walker and Declan Rice—reportedly made him unpopular in Munich, where English players are viewed as overpriced. Eckner noted that Tuchel comes across differently when speaking German, being more reserved, while in English he shows a 'different kind of spark.'
Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness called Tuchel's tenure 'a catastrophe,' but many articles also pointed to Bayern's off-field issues and unbalanced squad, suggesting the failure was not solely Tuchel's fault. Der Spiegel offered a fairer analysis, noting that English football is more globalised than German football, with clubs often owned by foreign investors.
