Pep Guardiola was the Football Association's first choice to become England head coach before Thomas Tuchel was appointed, according to a report by The Athletic.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the FA held extensive talks with Guardiola in 2024 and the two sides even reached a verbal agreement over a potential partnership. However, the Spanish coach ultimately chose to continue his successful spell at Manchester City, forcing England to pursue other options.
The FA subsequently appointed Thomas Tuchel, who led England to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Argentina.
According to the report, Tuchel's original contract included clauses that could have allowed the FA to end the agreement early had England failed to reach the quarter-finals. Since the Three Lions advanced to the last four, those conditions were never triggered. Tuchel is now expected to remain in charge at least until UEFA Euro 2028, in line with his current contract.
Guardiola, meanwhile, remains one of the most successful managers of the modern era, having won multiple Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City.
