England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes cost of first sport and prepares to call group
England take on Albania at Wembley in Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge. The German coach has been appointed on an 18-month contract through to the 2026 World Cup and England begin that journey as their qualifying campaign gets underway.
Tuchel has wasted no time explaining where England fell short under Gareth Southgate, saying that he felt the team were “afraid” during last summer’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. “I want us to play with excitement and the hunger and desire to win,” Tuchel said. “And the acceptance of failure is part of it, especially in football.”
Tuchel arrives with an impressive CV, that includes winning the Champions League with Chelsea, and made a number of eye-catching calls when naming his first squad, including a recall for former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
Now all eyes are on Tuchel’s first England line-up as the Three Lions look to hit the ground running in their World Cup qualifying group that includes Serbia, Latvia, Andorra and tonight’s opponents Albania.
Follow live updates from Wembley ahead of Tuchel’s first game in charge, below:
Tuchel on his first match in charge
Naturally much of the build-up to this game has been about Thomas Tuchel as it is his first game in charge of England.
He said: “I just hope so much that they [the fans] can see what I see on a daily basis, and they can transform it into the stadium. What I’ve seen in the last few days is amazing and it’s been a joy to watch and be a part of it.
“It’s amazing to have a full Wembley and I will be a bit nervous but that’s part of it, I’m always a bit nervous before matches so this will not be different. I’m excited and hopefully we can prove the point and take the first step.
“I feel the pressure, but I feel it as a privilege. In my coaching career, I’ve adapted to that and found methods to cope with it.”
Who will start for England tonight?
Marc Guehi is England’s most senior options at centre-back, following injuries to John Stones and Harry Maguire, and he could be partnered by Levi Colwill, or by Dan Burn. Reece James is back in the squad but Kyle Walker could start at right back with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured.
Tuchel will have to decide whether to use Jude Bellingham at No 10 or alongside Declan Rice, with Curtis Jones or Jordan Henderson options to play in a double-pivot and Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers or Eberechi Eze under consideration to play further further forward. Tuchel has described former Liverpool captain Henderson as the “glue” in his squad.
On the wings, Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford will compete for the spot on the left while injuries to Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer should see Phil Foden play off the right, although Jarrod Bowen is an option. Dominic Solanke has been named as Harry Kane’s back-up at striker.
Early England team news
Thomas Tuchel has no time to waste when it comes to shaping his plans for the 2026 World Cup: he has already confirmed that Harry Kane will be his captain and it would be no surprise to see England’s record scorer start alongside Jude Bellingham, with Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford also close to automatic picks.
Tuchel has played with both a back three and back four in his managerial career, but he most recently used a back four at Bayern Munich. There could well be a debutant at left back with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final hero Dan Burn options.
Inside Thomas Tuchel’s grand plan – and the reason England hired him
One of the first things England’s young players noticed was how much Thomas Tuchel likes a laugh. He made them feel at ease. It’s an attitude that comes in handy for a question he was always going to get.
England’s new German manager was naturally asked about 1966, and the manner of the men’s national team’s only ever trophy victory. Did Geoff Hurst’s second goal cross the line?
“There is still debate,” Tuchel chuckles. “I don’t think so but there was no VAR at this time so it stands!”
How can I watch it?
England vs Albania will be shown live on ITV 1 and ITV X, with coverage getting underway from 7pm.
When is England vs Albania?
The match will kick-off at 7:45pm GMT on Friday 21 March at Wembley Stadium.
England’s new era begins
England are in Group K of World Cup qualifying, along with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra, with the top team qualifying for the World Cup finals.
During this international break they will face Albania and Latvia with Thomas Tuchel hoping to get his tenure off to a winning start.
Good afternoon
England begin a new era under Thomas Tuchel as the Three Lions kick off the road to the 2026 World Cup with a qualifier against Albania at Wembley.
Tuchel’s first game in charge comes as England target victory at the 2026 tournament, with the German coach signing an 18-month contract after succeeding Gareth Southgate as manager.
And Friday night’s fixture at Wembley will offer an early look at how Tuchel wants to shape his new England team, following spells in the club game with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
