Meet Thomas Tuchel’s biggest supporters: The people of his German hometown who remember him as a young Abba fan (and don’t even mind if he wins the World Cup for England)

Proud residents of Thomas Tuchel’s hometown are excited about his new job as England manager and have no doubts: he can win the World Cup for England.

The young Tuchel began his journey to managerial excellence in the late 1970s as a schoolboy defender on the training grounds of the predominantly Catholic city in the Black Forest region, east of Munich.

And his surprise move to England is widely supported here – with widespread belief he can succeed in his mission to win the 2026 World Cup.

Typical is current Krumbach FC player Tizirmo Ltrvilr who said: ‘He will do well for England. England have great players. You have a good chance of winning the World Cup.’

The Tuchel family is well known in Krumbach and apparently loved by everyone.

While Thomas’ career has taken him across Europe, his parents Rudolf and Gabriele Tuchel still live in their hometown, where they had their only child in 1973.

As a nine-year-old, Tuchel talked about his love of football in a friend’s Junior School yearbook, known as a ‘poetry album’.

When he was just 6ft tall – compared to the towering 6ft 1in he is 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 boy, who weighed just 28kg, he hated practical lessons such as Design and Technology, preferring to be on the football field.

He wrote that his favorite teacher was Miss Kojetinsky, although his first football coach was his own father, Rudolf Tuchel.

Tuchel’s favorite song as a child was FR David’s ‘Words Don’t Come Easy’ – but as a multilingual coach, words should not be a problem when he takes over as England manager, having already managed Chelsea and Bayern. Munich to title win.

It was in a park just a few minutes’ walk from Tuchel’s old school, the Simpert-Kraemer Gymnasium, where we spoke to current Krumbach player Tizirmo Ltrvilr who was walking his dog.

The player is Italian by birth, 26 years old, but now lives in Krumbach and, like Tuchel, plays for the team of his adopted home.

He told MailOnline: ‘Thomas Tuchel played for Krumbach and now I also play for Krumbach, the same club where he grew up.

‘I haven’t seen 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 Britain. He loves England, he was at Chelsea before. “He’ll do well.”

Family friend Tuchel Mayer Reiner, who has lived in Krumbach for decades, said he used to be a Bayern Munich fan but is no longer one.

Tuchel managed the German club from 2023 to 2024, helping the team to victory in the Bundesliga before failing to repeat the feat last season – the first time they had lost the title in 12 years.

“They are too high in the league now,” Mr Reiner told MailOnline. ‘They have too much money and only bring in a lot of international players.’

Mr. 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 gym, and he was known as a strong swimmer and footballer.

Meanwhile, Mr. Reiner added. Tuchel’s father Rudolf loves 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 what he is today.”

According to the retiree, Tuchel will certainly enjoy being England manager because London is ‘better than Krumbach.’

Meanwhile, his own son has followed in Tuchel’s footsteps at Chelsea and has also visited London, but won’t be returning anytime soon.

“He went to Britain every weekend to see his wife,” he said. ‘But they’ve moved here now. It’s very romantic.’

Tuchel, now 51, traveled to London this week to confirm an 18-month contract to manage the England team at the 2026 World Cup – which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Fitness coach and masters student Pascal Aldoais, 24, was more cautious about Tuchel’s move to manage the Three Lions.

‘On the one hand, it is very good to have international managers who support international development, but on the other hand, at Bayern Munich, for example, they now only buy players from all over the world.

‘As a result, they don’t really encourage people in their own country.’

He hopes a successful 18 months for England – with a World Cup win – can boost the Bundesliga’s popularity.

‘I think it could increase the profile of our Bundesliga. When people realize that he is a German coach and is doing a great job, they can go and see what German football is like.

“But if he doesn’t, it 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 move to manage the England squad.

The social worker, who is currently on maternity leave, said: ‘I love football when the World Cup is happening. My husband really likes the Bundesliga.

‘There is nothing wrong with his decision to move to the England team. It’s an international sport, it’s great.

‘But his time as manager of Bayern Munich was not successful. It’s always sad when we [Bayern Munich] lose, if we are not good enough.’

Another resident, who did not give his name, said Tuchel’s appointment would make the next World Cup “really exciting”.

He said: “I am happy with it because it can unite our two countries. There are differences between us, we approach things in different ways, but this will be a good sign of our shared interests.

‘I think it’s great that England have the courage to bring in a German manager. You’ve already had Swedish and Italian managers.’

He added that it will be ‘really exciting’ to see Tuchel and England play Germany at the next World Cup, and that will mean the countries will push themselves to be the better team.