Rooney: Keep Tuchel — Unless You Can Land Guardiola

Wayne Rooney has a simple message for the Football Association: stick with Thomas Tuchel — but only if Pep Guardiola is off the table. The former England captain weighed in on the post-World Cup fallout, and his verdict is more nuanced than a straight vote of confidence.

Rooney's Verdict: Tuchel Stays, With One Caveat

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the England legend made clear he sees no realistic upgrade on Tuchel at this moment — with one massive exception. According to BBC Sport, Rooney said, "I don't see anyone else out there at the minute, unless you go and get Pep Guardiola. If Pep is available, then maybe you go and get him."

That's a significant qualifier. Guardiola, who transformed Manchester City into a domestic and European powerhouse, was actually the FA's first choice before Tuchel landed the job in January 2025. Reports suggested a verbal agreement was even in place before negotiations broke down. The idea of revisiting that pursuit isn't as far-fetched as it might sound.

England's World Cup Pain: A 1-0 Lead Thrown Away

The context here matters. England fell 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final — squandering a lead late in the match and crashing out without a final appearance. Tuchel faced heavy criticism for his substitution decisions in the closing stages, though the FA has publicly backed him to continue through to Euro 2028, with his contract running until that summer after a two-year extension signed in February.

Rooney acknowledged Tuchel's inexperience at this level of tournament football played a role. "The World Cup is different and you need to feel that environment," he said, drawing a comparison to Fabio Capello's struggles in the same role. The learning curve is steep — but Rooney believes Tuchel has now lived it.

Squad Selection Under the Microscope

Rooney didn't let Tuchel off the hook entirely. He was pointed in his criticism of the squad choices that left out names like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton — while Jordan Henderson, Trevoh Chalobah and Ivan Toney made the cut.

"You can't expect to win a World Cup and have a squad that is just happy around the camp," Rooney said. His argument: winning squads need debate, friction and strong personalities willing to push back on the manager. A group selected for harmony, he suggested, doesn't win under pressure. It's a fair point, and one that echoes broader questions about squad culture at major tournaments — something that has dogged England across multiple cycles.

The Contract Timing Looks Odd in Hindsight

Rooney also raised an eyebrow at the decision to hand Tuchel a contract extension before the World Cup. The original mandate was blunt: win the tournament. Locking him in with two years still remaining before he'd even attempted it struck Rooney as odd. "It's a little bit strange if its priority was to win the World Cup, but then you get a two-year contract before you actually go to the World Cup," he said.

It's a legitimate structural question. Whether the FA made that call to show faith or simply to ward off rival interest, the result is a manager who fell short of the primary objective but faces no immediate consequences.

Where Does England Go From Here?

With Mbappe and France topping their group at the World Cup and Salah's Egypt making history in the knockouts, the global competition isn't standing still. England need to evolve fast.

Tuchel keeps the job for now. But if Guardiola's situation changes — and the football world shifts quickly — Rooney's words suggest the FA would be foolish not to at least pick up the phone.

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