Will Thomas Tuchel speak for England over Donald Trump's World Cup? | OneFootball

Tough questions coming for the England boss as US President rips up old world order

An ugly trade war between the USA and Canada and Mexico, which edged closer to a reality at the start of the week, was presumably not the backdrop Fifa had in mind when the three countries were awarded joint-custody of the 2026 World Cup.

As the Trump White House rips up the old world order in relation to Ukraine, Thomas Tuchel should not be especially high on the list of those deserving sympathy. Nonetheless, as the new England boss prepares to take his first camp, the geopolitical upheaval under way has made Tuchel’s role far harder.

When Tuchel accepted the England job in October, the US election was still a month away and the prospect of a 2026 World Cup where climate change and his Germanness were among the biggest controversies still felt plausible. Now, though, Tuchel is faced with being the spokesperson for the England men’s team and, by extension, the country during what is certain to be another controversial tournament.

More than a coach

The England job became more than just a coaching role under Gareth Southgate, who exhibited a serious moral and political consciousness in defence of his team and their values during eight years in charge, even standing alongside his players against government ministers.

When Southgate stood down after Euro 2024, he was lauded by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer as “a thoughtful spokesperson on events far beyond football”. There is no obligation for Tuchel to follow Southgate’s lead and, as a German, he will neither try nor be able to adopt the same “our nation” approach as his predecessor. As we head towards Trump’s World Cup, it will be impossible for Tuchel to avoid these moral, political and social questions altogether, however.

Taking the knee or sporting a rainbow flag — issues faced by Southgate and his players at Euro 2020 and in Qatar, respectively — would be unlikely to fly at a tournament in Trump’s America, where the administration have encouraged the abolition of diversity, equality and inclusion programmes. By next year, there is likely to be a new wedge issue, perhaps another symbol of inclusivity, and navigating these scenarios will challenge Tuchel.

As head coach of Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea when Russia invaded Ukraine, Tuchel has already experienced a taste of what may be coming. He handled the barrage of questions about the war and Abramovich’s swift decoupling from the club with tact, composure and skill in his second language. On one occasion, Tuchel did lose his cool, however, cutting off a reporter eight minutes into a press conference ahead of an FA Cup tie at Luton Town in March 2022, when asked one too many questions on the war. “Listen, listen, listen, you have to stop. I am not a politician,” he said, visibly exasperated.

True, Tuchel is not a politician but he has taken on the most political job in the English game, and with the mandate of winning a World Cup that is the latest in a long line of deeply political tournaments. Football reflects society, and the new world order being established by Trump and his allies will be felt profoundly in the game soon. For Tuchel and everyone else in football, tough questions and choices are coming.