Thomas Tuchel hopes he can win over critics as England manager

Thomas Tuchel said England can “free ourselves from history” and work to “make our dream come true” at the 2026 World Cup following his appointment as head coach. German Tuchel, 51, was confirmed as the next Three Lions boss on Wednesday and will officially take charge on 1 January after signing an 18-month contract.

Read more

Thomas Tuchel set to be named as new England manager

Thomas Tuchel has agreed to become England’s manager after talks with the Football Association ­accelerated on Tuesday. The 51-year-old will be the third foreign manager of the men’s team and the first from Germany. The FA has had Tuchel on its shortlist for finding Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor that also included Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and the interim manager, Lee Carsley, among others.

Read more

Duran the hero as Aston Villa stun Bayern Munich

Jhon Duran emerged from the bench in dramatic fashion once more to give Aston Villa a magnificent victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League at an exultant Villa Park. In a meeting surrounded by a rich sense of history as a repeat of the Villa’s 1982 European Cup final victory over the German giants in Rotterdam, Duran ensured a replica of that scoreline with his fifth goal after coming on as substitute this season.

Read more

Thiago Alcantara retires from football aged 33

Thiago Alcantara has retired from football after leaving Liverpool at the end of his contract. The former Spain midfielder, 33, was restricted to just one appearance during the 2023-24 season because of injury. Thiago had hip surgery towards the end of the 2022-23 season but was unable to return until February 2024, when he came on as a late substitute in a defeat at Arsenal and suffered another injury.

Read more

Bayern Munich appoint Vincent Kompany as new head coach

Bayern Munich have appointed Vincent Kompany as their new head coach on a three-year deal. The Belgian, 38, succeeds Thomas Tuchel and leaves Burnley for the Bundesliga side after the two clubs agreed a compensation fee, believed to be in the region of €12m. His appointment comes after a prolonged process to find a replacement for Tuchel after several high profile managers turned down offers to take charge of the Bavarian giants.

Read more