'I have to earn my right to sing it' - Thomas Tuchel gives anthem update ahead of first match as England manager

Thomas Tuchel will oversee his first matches as England manager later this month when The Three Lions take on Albania and Latvia in two World Cup qualifiers. The 51-year-old has now announced his squad, and he has also revealed that he will not sing the national anthem during this round of fixtures. Instead, the German hopes to earn the right to sing God Save the King.

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Thomas Tuchel said he has to earn the right to sing the English national anthem ahead of his first game in charge of The Three Lions.
The German revealed he will not sing God Save the King before his opening two matches as England manager against Albania and Latvia.
Tuchel named his first squad since succeeding former boss Gareth Southgate in the role on Friday, opting for experience with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Kyle Walker and Marcus Rashford all included.
The 51-year-old insists he has to earn the respect of England's players and supporters before it would feel right to sing the national anthem ahead of matches.
"I feel that it is not just a given," he told the BBC. "You cannot just sing it.
"That's why I decided that I will not sing it in my first matches.
"I think, first of all, you have a very powerful, emotional and meaningful national anthem and I could not be more proud to be on the sidelines and be in charge of the English national team.
"It means everything.
"It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel because it is that meaningful and it is that emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it.
"Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like 'he should sing it now, he's one of our own, he's the English manager, he should sing it'."
Tuchel was announced as Southgate's successor in October 2024, but he only took over from interim boss Lee Carsley on January 1.
His first match in charge of the team will be a World Cup qualifier against Albania on Friday evening.
That will be followed by another qualifier against Latvia on March 24.
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