Thomas Tuchel will only sing England national anthem at World Cup on one condition

Thomas Tuchel has confirmed he will not sing the national anthem before England’s World Cup opener.

However, the Three Lions boss could belt out ‘God Save the King’ later in the tournament.

Tuchel has revealed he will sing the national anthem on one conditionGetty

Tuchel has so far opted against singing the national anthem since becoming England boss.

Interim manager Lee Carsley previously did the same during his spell in charge.

Carsley won 39 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player, despite being born in Birmingham.

Tuchel is the third foreign permanent manager of the national team after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

The German will take charge of his side at a major tournament for the first time on Wednesday.

England begin their group stage campaign against Croatia, with kick-off at 9pm live on talkSPORT.

When will Tuchel sing the national anthem?

Ahead of the match, Tuchel was asked if he plans to sing the national anthem during his pre-match press conference.

The former Chelsea boss has revealed he may do so if England reach the World Cup final.

Tuchel told reporters: “Not yet. I think we are not there yet. At the very end [of the tournament], maybe.

“I am still a bit shy. I don’t want to offend people and don’t want to have the focus on that now.”

Tuchel has so far opted against singing the England national anthemGetty

It was later put to him whether he has learned the words, with Tuchel joking: “It’s not so difficult.”

The 52-year-old added that he feels ‘at home’ in England having taken over as Three Lions boss at the start of last year.

Tuchel previously spent over a year-and-a-half in charge of Chelsea between 2021 and 2022.

Asked if he is an Anglophile, he replied: “Yes, it feels like that. I can’t explain it but it felt like this from the first weeks at Chelsea.

“It just felt so good to be in the country and in the city of course, and be a part of (the) Premier League.

“Every day was a gift, almost. It just felt like to be in the right place. I cannot say often enough, I’m grateful, and it’s an honour for me to be England head coach and nobody wants it more than me.

Tuchel says he could sing ‘God Save the King’ if England reach the World Cup finalGetty

“I feel basically at home when I land, when I fly home [to England]. I would say now ‘I fly home’, I fly home to my home in London and it feels like home when I land in London and I’m in England.”

Third time lucky?

Tuchel will become only the third non-Englishman to take charge of the Three Lions at a World Cup this summer.

Eriksson reached the quarter-finals of the tournament in both 2002 and 2006.

The Swedish coach also made the last eight of Euro 2004 during his five-year tenure.

Capello had less success, with the 2010 World Cup his only major tournament at the helm.

His England side were knocked out in the last 16 by Germany in South Africa 16 years ago.

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