Carlo Ancelotti also turned down the head coach role

Thomas Tuchel was the FA’s third choice for England behind Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images and Christian Bruna/Getty Images

It’s become clear that Thomas Tuchel was only the FA’s third choice for the role of England first-team head coach, with Pep Guardiola and also Carlo Ancelotti understood to have been approached.

For many, the idea of installing Guardiola, the man who has effectively changed how football has been played in this country, would surely have been met with overwhelming positivity.

The news that he’s likely to be putting pen to paper on a deal to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2026 may have played a part in how quickly the FA moved for Tuchel.

Carlo Ancelotti was also approached for the England job

Former Man United star, Gary Neville, has even said that questions need to be asked as to why the Red Devils didn’t move quicker for Tuchel, who was believed to be one of the candidates to replace under-fire manager, Erik ten Hag.

Neville might well be seething when he realises that United had even more time to land the German.

That’s because, according to Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast, the FA also approached Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, before plumping for Tuchel.

“It is confirmed apparently they did reach out to Pep Guardiola in the summer and also I understand they spoke to Carlo Ancelotti,” the former England striker noted.

Intriguingly, Tuchel hasn’t cost the FA anything in compensation whereas if either Guardiola or Ancelotti had taken the role, they’re likely to have seen either Man City or Real Madrid demanding millions of pounds in return for seeing their managers move on.