Tuchel Admits He's Nervous About Leading England In First Competitive Match

Thomas Tuchel will lead England for the first time at home to Albania (Instagram/@england).

JAKARTA - Thomas Tuchel will lead his first England match on Saturday, March 22, 2025, early morning WIB, hosting Albania at Wembley Stadium to start the European Zone 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

The match is one of two matches the German coach will have with the Three Lions during the international break.

Tuchel admits that he was a little nervous ahead of his inaugural game leading Harry Kane and colleagues.

"I really hope they can see what I see every day at the stadium. What I've seen in the last few days is amazing and fun to watch and be a part of it."

"So, hopefully we can channel this energy and enthusiasm and hunger into the game."

"Then, I mean this is amazing, we will play full at Wembley and it will be very interesting."

"I think I'd be a little nervous, but it was part of football. I was always a little nervous before the game."

"So, this will not be different. Yes, excited and hopefully we can prove it and then take the first step," Tuchel said in a press conference before the match.

After hosting Albania at Wembley, England again hosted Latvia in the second match of Group K of the 2026 World Cup Qualification in the European Zone on March 25, 2025, early morning WIB.

The Three Lions will resume their journey in the same event in June 2025 with a trip to Andorra headquarters, before the scheduled friendly match against Senegal in the same month.