Tuchel feels at home in England but admits he is not ready to sing national anthem yet

Thomas Tuchel has declared that England feels like home — but the German head coach says he is not yet ready to sing God Save The King as he prepares to lead the Three Lions into their World Cup 2026 campaign against Croatia in Dallas.

Tuchel, who previously managed Chelsea in the Premier League, said his affinity with England dates back to his first weeks at Stamford Bridge. “I feel basically at home when I land, when I fly home,” he said. “I would say now: ‘I fly home’ when I fly home to my home in London and it feels like home when I land in London and I’m in England.”

On the question of the national anthem, Tuchel was candid about where he stands. “Not yet, I think we are not there yet,” he said. “At the very end maybe, I am still a bit shy, I don’t want to offend people and don’t want to have the focus on that now.” He had previously stated after taking the job that he would need to earn the right to sing it.

Tuchel reflected warmly on his time in English football, crediting the Premier League environment for making his transition straightforward. “Every day was a gift, almost, it just felt like to be in the right place with the right mindset of players, and what the league brings out of players and what the fans expect from the players, and from the coach,” he said. “I cannot say often enough, I’m grateful, and it’s an honour for me to be England head coach and nobody wants it more than me.”

England’s opening fixture against Croatia carries significant weight. The two sides have history — Croatia knocked England out of the 2018 World Cup semi-final before England defeated them in the group stage of Euro 2020. England currently sit fourth in the FIFA rankings, with Croatia 11th. Tuchel’s side qualified for the tournament with a perfect record, keeping a clean sheet throughout, though three pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal, Uruguay, and Japan yielded two defeats and a draw — all against sides outside the top 20.

Despite those mixed results, Tuchel insists his squad is in a strong position heading into the group stage. “We’re in a very, very good spot, so I have full trust that we can compete on the highest level,” he said. “The focus now is on the group stage. I don’t want to get carried away.”

Whoever emerges from England’s clash with Croatia in Dallas is widely expected to take a commanding grip on Group L.