Thomas Tuchel warned England fans not to get used to see him wearing a tie after he was teased by German compatriot Rudi Voller at Friday’s World Cup qualifying draw.
The former Chelsea boss doesn’t officially begin work until next month, but was present in Zurich as the Three Lions discovered their fate.
Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra stand between England and a place in a tournament that will jointly hosted by USA and Mexico.
‘I have huge respect for Serbia and Albania,’ said Tuchel, reflecting on the opposition. ‘They can always surprise they have a strong history of technical football, of emotional players and groups.
‘They have two very famous ex-players as coaches so we should be very aware of that.
‘Latvia… England never played them so this is a new experience for all of us.
‘We are huge favourites and we have to qualify, this is where all the focus goes. There can’t be any other approach than take it seriously and with respect and make it happen before we can dream the dream.’
World Cup 2026 Qualifying Draw
Group A: Germany/Italy (winner), Slovakia, NORTHERN IRELAND, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Portugal/Denmark (loser), Greece, SCOTLAND, Belarus.
Group D: France/Croatia (winner), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Spain/Netherlands (winner), Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Portugal/Denmark (winner), Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia.
Group G: Spain/Netherlands (loser), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Germany/Italy (loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, WALES, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group K: ENGLAND, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.
Group L: France/Croatia (loser), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.
Tuchel’s attire, meanwhile, caught the attention of Voller, a former World Cup winner as a player who is now Germany’s team director.
Gareth Southgate gained notoriety for his touchline attire over the course of his reign and became synonymous with a waistcoat, but Tuchel warned he would be ditching the formal look once he gets down to work.
‘Things change,’ he said when asked about how it felt to wear and England tie. ‘An FA tie as well. It feels comfortable. It will not be my look on the sidelines. I need a bit more freedom to move around but for the occasion it’s a nice look.
‘You will see me stadiums from January. Work starts from the signature. Today was the kick off for the World Cup campagin so it is obvious we have to be there.’
When and where is the 2026 World Cup
The World Cup will start on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City and end on 19 July in New Jersey.
The expanded 48-team tournament will last a record 39 days.
The new format will feature 12 four-team groups and a last-32 knockout round for the first time.
Pressed on whether he would base himself in England permanently from January onwards, he added: ‘I will not tell you my address otherwise you will be in front of my house every week.
‘In England of course I will be at St George’s this is where our base is where we want to create and atmosphere and where we are happy to engage with other people who work with the FA.
‘We want to use the quality and feel the place we will watch a lot of matches I want to see them live I want to speak with the players but also not interfere too much because they are players of clubs. You will see us in stadium a lot from January.’