Wayne Rooney on Tuchel's Future: Guardiola as the Only Upgrade

Wayne Rooney believes the Football Association should hold its nerve with Thomas Tuchel – unless the ultimate wildcard becomes available: Pep Guardiola.

Tuchel remains in post after England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, a night when a controlled 1-0 lead slipped away and his substitutions came under heavy fire. The German has made it clear he wants to stay and take the Three Lions into Euro 2028, and the FA has backed him publicly.

Rooney, though, sees one scenario where that stance should change.

Rooney: Tuchel or Guardiola – no middle ground

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England captain was blunt about the limited options at the very top of the market.

"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," Rooney said.

That is the crux of his argument. For Rooney, Tuchel sits alone in the current field – with Guardiola as the only clear upgrade.

"I think he is a top-class manager and what the top managers do, they learn from the mistakes and they improve and get better," Rooney said of Tuchel, stressing that one painful night should not automatically end a project.

"If we sack him, what managers are we going to bring in? And I don't think there's anyone out there who's as good as Thomas Tuchel, unless Guardiola."

The message is stark: keep Tuchel, or move heaven and earth for Guardiola. Anything in between, in Rooney’s eyes, would be a step down.

World Cup lessons and a familiar warning

Rooney did, however, highlight what he sees as Tuchel’s main weakness – a lack of major tournament experience at international level.

"But the big thing for me is he's not experienced at World Cups. We had the exact same with [Fabio] Capello. The World Cup is different and you need to feel that environment and now he's felt it."

England’s semi-final exit, then, becomes part of Tuchel’s education rather than a final verdict. Rooney’s comparison with Capello is a reminder of how even elite club managers can be caught out by the unique pressure and rhythm of a World Cup.

Tuchel was initially hired on an 18-month deal in January 2025 with a clear brief: win the World Cup. In February, that mission was reshaped when he signed a two-year extension, committing him to lead England into the next cycle.

The FA had sounded out Guardiola before turning to Tuchel, with reports of a verbal agreement at one stage. That history only sharpens Rooney’s view: if Guardiola’s name comes back into play, England should not hesitate.

Contract confusion and the FA’s gamble

Rooney also questioned the timing and logic of Tuchel’s new deal, given how the FA framed his appointment.

"I think the FA told us that Thomas Tuchel was coming in to win the World Cup and take us to the next level," he said.

"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. That's a bit strange."

The decision to extend Tuchel before a ball was kicked in the tournament now looks like a calculated risk. The FA has doubled down on its man, even as the debate over his in-game decisions rages and the memory of that late collapse to Argentina still stings.

Tuchel, though, has what Rooney believes every international manager needs: scars from a World Cup. The question now is whether the FA will let him use them – or tear up the plan if the Guardiola door swings open again.