Thomas Tuchel left ‘sad and upset’ after being sacked on Christmas Eve

Thomas Tuchel has recalled how he was left ‘sad and angry’ after his dismissal as PSG boss on Christmas Eve in 2020.

The current England boss took over in Paris in May 2018 and oversaw a trophy-laden two-and-a-half years in the French capital.

The 52-year-old enjoyed ample success during his time at the Parc des Princes helm, winning Ligue 1 twice, the Coupe de France once and the Coupe de la Ligue once, while he also finished Champions League runner up in 2020.

However, Tuchel was dismissed midway through his third season in the PSG dugout with the club in third place, just one point behind eventual champions Lille.

The dismissal came just four months after his side’s Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich in Lisbon where former PSG trainee Kingsley Coman scored the only goal of the game in the Portuguese capital.

Tuchel was criticised for the way he set his team up in the 2020 final, though the German believes he wasn’t praised enough for his side’s progression to the final.

And Tuchel has previously revealed that he was left ‘sad and upset’ about his dismissal on Christmas Eve.

“We missed winning the Champions League by one match,” Tuchel said previously.

“And we never had the feeling that we had convinced people and that they recognised our performance. Sometimes that makes you a little sad or angry.

“There are definitely extreme expectations here. You get the feeling the appreciation for what we do, particularly in the league, is not there as it is at, say, Bayern Munich [whom he took over as boss in 2023].

“They always say, ‘[PSG] have [Angel] Di Maria, [Kylian] Mbappe, Neymar. Of course they win against Bordeaux – that’s not an achievement.’

“And with that there is no appreciation for our discipline, sustained play, the intensity of our play.

AFP

AFP

“It’s a shame for the players because very serious team performances can be completely wiped out.”

During his time at the club, Tuchel also complained about his demands as role as manager, adding: “During the first six months I was asking myself ‘am I still a coach or a minister of sport?’”

Those comments appeared to be the final straw for the club’s Qatari owners, who replaced Tuchel in the French capital with Mauricio Pochettino in January 2021.

Tuchel wasn’t out of the game for long having taken over as Chelsea boss in January 2021.

During his stint at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel’s Chelsea won the Champions League, beating Manchester City 1-0 in Porto courtesy of a Kai Havertz strike.

Following his brief spell as Chelsea boss, Tuchel was named Bayern Munich head coach in 2023, and took over the England reins at the start of 2025.

The Three Lions breezed through 2026 World Cup qualification as they won all eight matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding none in the process.

England have been drawn alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama in North America next year as Tuchel looks to land a first major international trophy since 1966.