Incoming England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Harry Kane will retain the captaincy when he begins his tenure in January. The German tactician, who succeeds Gareth Southgate on a permanent basis, stated there is “no need to think about change,” praising Kane as a “top captain for England.”
Tuchel will begin his reign on January 1, with a squad that under Southgate reached two successive European Championship finals. England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, 2-1, ended the eight-year tenure of Southgate, with interim manager Lee Carsley overseeing promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.
The FA turned to Tuchel, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss, to lead England’s qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup. That journey starts in Group K, where England will meet Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra.
Tuchel, signed on an 18-month contract, made it a point to insist on a “clean slate” for all players. He wants to have one-on-one discussions with Carsley and Southgate to get an idea of the squad and will also reach out to Arsenal’s Ben White over a potential recall. White has not played for England since the 2022 World Cup after undergoing knee surgery.
Ending England’s major trophy drought since 1966 will be the first priority of Tuchel.
