After months of speculation over the identity of Gareth Southgate’s permanent replacement in the England hotseat, Thomas Tuchel has been named as England manager.
Already, bookmakers have reacted by creating new betting markets related to the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss, and how his influence might benefit certain players when he starts his role on 1st January 2025. Here are some that we feel catch the eye.
Thomas Tuchel England betting specials: Selected markets
England to win World Cup 2026 Or Euro 2028 with Thomas Tuchel as England manager – 2/1
Despite the news of Tuchel’s appointment, England are still fourth-favourites to lift the 2026 World Cup with most bookmakers. Only France, Brazil and their Euro 2024 conquerors are considered more likely to go all the way. And since neither of England’s previous two foreign managers (Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello) got any further than the quarter-finals of a major tournament, history is somewhat against Tuchel.
Yet, depending on whether England are in a four or five-team qualification group, Tuchel might have as much as eight months to prepare for his first tranche of World Cup qualifiers after taking over in January. That will be the case if England go into a four-team group, otherwise, Tuchel’s first qualification campaign with England will kick off in March, just two months after officially taking over.
Current World Cup odds – Selected teams*
| Spain |
13/2 |
| France |
7/1 |
| Brazil |
7/1 |
| England |
15/2 |
| Argentina |
10/1 |
| Germany |
10/1 |
| Portugal |
16/1 |
| Netherlands |
20/1 |
| Italy |
25/1 |
| Scotland |
500/1 |
*Market-best outrights as of 16th October 2024
Harry Kane to score the first England goal with Thomas Tuchel as England manager – 7/2
Right now, there are three popular picks to score the very first England goal under Tuchel next year. The first, and foremostly-obvious one is Harry Kane, who played under Tuchel at Bayern in 2023/24. This can only work in his favour as he aims to lead England to glory, after twice being frustrated in a major final with the Three Lions.
Behind him are Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham, with Palmer being the breakout English star of the 2024 calendar year, after maturing into an all-round midfield dynamo over the past two-and-a-half seasons.
As for Bellingham, he is expected to thrive under a manager famed for demanding equal measures of logic, creativity and independence from his engine room. Carlo Ancelotti is currently nurturing that within him at club level with Real Madrid, so he’ll always be at the very peak of his game.
Thomas Tuchel not to be England manager for 2026 World Cup – 12/1
On the flip side, there are odds of 12/1 that Tuchel won’t be managing England for the 2026 World Cup. His past experiences at Chelsea and Bayern showed he can be a bit hands-on, and if anyone at the Football Association tries to micromanage him, it could lead to some tension. For now, though, it would take quite a bit for him to step down before the tournament.
Only a total failure to qualify for the competition would see him fail to last beyond the end of the 2025/26 European football season – a fate no England manager has suffered since Graham Taylor in 1993, as the Three Lions’ road to the USA crumbled around them.
England to win World Cup 2026 & Euro 2028 with Thomas Tuchel as England manager – 33/1
You wait a lifetime, then two come along at once. For the very bravest of bettors – perhaps the type who might tattoo ‘England World Champions’ somewhere regrettable on the eve of a final – England are 33/1 to win both of the next two major tournaments they can enter.
England are also priced at 33/1 to beat Germany in the 2026 World Cup final. Doing so with a German manager in charge would undoubtedly give England fans huge bragging rights in their eternal battle against the old enemy, if one of Germany’s own citizens could do this.
