English football legend Gary Lineker has confirmed that Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti was among the candidates considered for the national team coaching position.
On Wednesday, the Football Association announced the appointment of German coach Thomas Tuchel as the new manager of the England national team, effective January 1, 2025. Tuchel becomes the third non-English manager to lead the team, following the late Swede Sven-Göran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello. Lineker stated in comments reported by the Daily Mail: “There are confirmations that they reached out to Pep Guardiola during the summer, and as I understand it, they also spoke with Carlo Ancelotti.”
Lineker also questioned whether reports of Manchester United’s interest in hiring Tuchel as a replacement for Erik ten Hag had prompted the FA to expedite their decision. He remarked, “I think that could have an impact… There was an important meeting at United in London, and there are many rumors surrounding the possibility of Ten Hag being dismissed.”
Despite recent speculation linking Ancelotti to the Brazilian national team, he has never managed any national teams before. However, he has previously worked in England with Chelsea. Ancelotti, aged 65, is under contract with Real Madrid until the summer of 2026.