England manager Thomas Tuchel stated that his squad cannot be considered favorites for the upcoming FIFA World Cup during a press conference on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, just one day before the expanded 48-team tournament begins in North America.
According to reports from the BBC, the 52-year-old German manager is tasked with leading the Three Lions to global victory nearly three decades after his own coaching journey began under unusual circumstances.
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Tuchel previously worked a student job at a nightlife venue in Stuttgart after his professional playing career was cut short at age 23 due to severe knee cartilage damage, leaving him with financial difficulties.
Former Germany coach Ralf Rangnick discovered Tuchel working at the establishment and convinced him to transition into coaching by offering him a youth-team position at VfB Stuttgart in 1999.
"When I found out that he was working in a bar in Stuttgart to earn his living, I could hardly believe it," said Ralf Rangnick, respected German coach.
Rangnick, who laid the groundwork for a tactical revolution in German football by introducing zonal marking at SSV Ulm, noticed Tuchel's analytical mindset during their time together at the club.
"I called him and I said, 'what are you doing?' He said 'I have to earn my living there'.
I said to him, 'Thomas, please, why don't you come to us in Stuttgart and work as a youth-team coach?'"
recalled Ralf Rangnick.
