Thomas Tuchel now leads England's World Cup 2026 charge, but three decades ago he was working bar shifts in Stuttgart while Glenn Hoddle's side competed in France 1998. The German tactician abandoned his playing dreams after severe knee cartilage damage ended his Bundesliga hopes at age 23.

Tuchel took a job at the Radio Bar inside Stuttgart's iconic Radio Barth building, a former music store turned hip-hop hotspot where he served cocktails and built confidence serving strangers. During this period, he befriended future rap star Max Herre and became part of the local music scene.

Former SSV Ulm manager Ralf Rangnick discovered Tuchel working at the bar and offered him a youth coaching role at VfB Stuttgart in 1999. The pivotal moment came when Tuchel heard his former club Ulm had achieved Bundesliga promotion during a shift, prompting him to quit and pursue coaching.

Tuchel quickly impressed working under Hans-Martin Kleitsch, who praised his analytical abilities calling him 'the man with the X-ray vision' for dissecting opponents. Now England fans hope that tactical precision can finally deliver the World Cup trophy that has eluded the Three Lions for 58 years.