The proud residents of Thomas Tuchel’s hometown are delighted with his new position as England manager and have no doubt: he can win the World Cup for England.
The young Tuchel began his journey towards managerial excellence as a school defender on the training grounds of this predominantly Catholic city in the Black Forest region, east of Munich, in the late 1970s.
And his surprise switch of allegiance to England has been widely supported here, with a widespread belief that he can succeed in his quest to win the 2026 World Cup.
A typical case is current Krumbach FC player Tizirmo Ltrvillr, who said: “He will do a good job for England.” England has great players. “You have a good chance of winning the World Cup.”
The Tuchel family is very well known in Krumbach and apparently everyone loves them.
Pictured: Vivian Kray, who lives in Krumbach with her husband and newborn daughter, told MailOnline there is “nothing wrong” with Tuchel’s decision to manage the England team.
Pictured: Fitness trainer and masters student Pascal Aldoais, 24, who expressed some concerns about Tuchel’s move to manage the Three Lions.
Tuchel was announced as England manager last Wednesday, becoming the third non-English manager to take charge of the Three Lions.
While Thomas’ career has taken him around Europe, his parents Rudolf and Gabriele Tuchel still live in their hometown, where they had their only child in 1973.
When he was nine, Tuchel talked about his love of soccer in a friend’s high school yearbook, known as a “poetry album.”
Then, standing at just 4’7′ (compared to the towering 6’4′ he stands today), the schoolboy footballer revealed his childhood hopes and dreams, and that he was a fan of ABBA, ACDC and, of course, sport.
According to the blue-eyed young man, who weighed only 28 kg, he hated practical classes like Design and Technology and preferred to be on the soccer field.
He wrote that his favorite teacher was Miss Kojetinsky, although his first soccer coach was his own father, Rudolf Tuchel.
Tuchel’s favorite song as a child was ‘Words Don’t Come Easy’ by FR David, but as a multilingual coach, words should not be a problem when he takes over as England manager, having managed Chelsea and Bayern. Munich wins the title.
It was in a park just a few minutes walk from Tuchel’s old school, the Simpert-Kraemer gym, where we spoke to current Krumbach player Tizirmo Ltrvillr, who was walking his dog.
The player is Italian by birth, he is 26 years old, but he now lives in Krumbach and plays for the team in his adopted homeland just as Tuchel used to do.
He told MailOnline: “Thomas Tuchel played for Krumbach and now I play for Krumbach too, the same club where he grew up.”
Current Krumbach player Tizirmo Ltrvillr (pictured) told MailOnline: “Thomas Tuchel played for Krumbach and now I also play for Krumbach, the same club where he grew up.
In the photo: A friend of the Tuchel family, Mayer Reiner, who has lived in Krumbach for decades, said that Tuchel was a Bayern Munich fan, but is no longer one.
“I didn’t get to see him play or train, but from what I’ve heard he’s a good person with a good personality.
‘He has a good reputation here in this city, everyone is very positive about him.
“He still comes back to Krumbach. But it’s very interesting that he’s moving to the UK. He loves England, he was previously at Chelsea. “He will do a good job.”
Tuchel family friend Mayer Reiner, who has lived in Krumbach for decades, said he used to be a Bayern Munich fan, but is no longer one.
Tuchel led the German club from 2023 to 2024, helping the team win the Bundesliga before failing to repeat the feat last season, the first time they lost the title in 12 years.
“They are too high up in the leagues now,” Reiner told MailOnline. “They have too much money and they just bring in a lot of international players.”
Reiner, who is retired, said he is “good friends” with the Tuchels. ‘Thomas Tuchel is from around here. His parents still live here. “I have known them well for a long time,” he said.
“We often celebrate holidays together.”
From an early age, Tuchel’s promise as a professional athlete was clear: his favorite subject at school was physical education and he was known as a great swimmer and soccer player.
A view of a Krumbach street shows the town’s clock tower.
Meanwhile, Reiner added that Tuchel’s father, Rudolf, likes football and painting, and has even painted several houses in the city.
“He’s a football coach and he really mentored Thomas and made him who he is today.”
According to the pensioner, Tuchel will surely enjoy being England coach, because London “is better than Krumbach.”
Meanwhile, his own son followed in Tuchel’s footsteps at Chelsea and also visited London, but he won’t be returning anytime soon.
“He used to go to the UK every weekend to see his wife,” he said. But now they’ve moved here. It’s very romantic.’
Tuchel, now 51, traveled to London this week to confirm an 18-month contract to manage the England team until the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Physical trainer and master’s student Pascal Aldoais, 24, was more reticent about Tuchel’s decision to coach the Three Lions.
“On the one hand, it is very good to have international coaches who support international development, but on the other hand, for example at Bayern Munich, they now only buy players from all over the world.
“That’s why they don’t really encourage the people of their own country.”
Here you can see the Krumbach market and the historic town hall.
He is hopeful that a successful 18 months for England, with a World Cup victory, can help the popularity of the Bundesliga.
“I think it could raise awareness of our Bundesliga: if people realize that he is a German coach and that he is doing a great job, then they could go and see what German football is like.”
But if you don’t, that won’t happen. It all depends on the results.’
Vivian Kray, who lives in Krumbach with her husband and newborn daughter, told MailOnline there is “nothing wrong” with Tuchel’s decision to manage the England team.
The social worker, who is currently on maternity leave, said: “I like football when the World Cup is on.” My husband really likes the Bundesliga.
“There is nothing wrong with his decision to move to the England team. It is an international sport, it is wonderful.
But his time as coach of Bayern Munich was not successful. “It’s always sad when we (Bayern Munich) lose, when we’re not good enough.”
Another resident, who did not give his name, said the decision to appoint Tuchel would make the next World Cup “really exciting”.
He said: ‘I am happy because it can unite our two countries. There are differences between us, we do things in different ways, but this will be a great sign of our shared interests.
“I think it’s fantastic that England have the courage to hire a German coach. You’ve already had Swedish and Italian coaches.
He added that it will be “really exciting” to see Tuchel and England take on Germany in the next World Cup, and will mean the nations will strive to be the best team.
