Hans-Joachim Watzke Thomas Tuchel was favorite before 2022 World Cup

In Sky's studio, during the programme “My Story”, BVB president Hans-Joachim Watzke looked into the camera and explained that he had Thomas Tuchel in his sights as national team coach already four years after the 2022 World Cup – but not for the summer, rather already back then.

The DFB vice‑president answered moderator Riccardo Basile's question whether he had considered appointing Tuchel. Watzke replied: “Yes, not for the summer … but I had the idea already,” and added: “We were eliminated in Qatar rather pitifully.”

Watzke emphasized that he has been working for the DFB since January 2022, but at that time was not involved in the decision‑making because Oliver Bierhoff was still in office and the selection of the national team coach was not his responsibility.

Watzke's view on the national coach decision

He went on to say that the basic attitude at the time was to continue with Hansi Flick, and praised Flick for what he “tore down” at Barcelona. After the Qatar disappointment he felt that a change could become difficult, and in hindsight he said the subsequent matches had been a disaster.

The old dispute between Watzke and Tuchel goes back to the bus attack on the BVB team bus in April 2017, before the Champions League quarter‑final against AS Monaco. Tuchel had claimed at the time that Watzke demanded the team to play anyway; UEFA moved the match to the next day, and BVB lost 2:3, before being eliminated in the return leg 1:3.

The old dispute over the bus attack

When asked whether Tuchel's portrayal was the “greatest human disappointment”, Watzke replied: “It was certainly a big one.” He criticised the distorted portrayal in the media and stressed that internal matters should not be aired publicly.

Watzke stressed that it was not about forgiveness, but that he still regarded Tuchel as an excellent coach. He said they now speak to each other sensibly again, and recalled the English inquiry in which he described Tuchel as one of the best coaches, who works under maximum pressure.

After the 2017 cup win, which gave BVB a conciliatory season finish, the paths diverged. Tuchel moved to PSG, Chelsea and FC Bayern Munich and took over the England national team in 2025 at the age of fifty‑three.

Watzke also played a decisive role in the appointment of Jürgen Klopp as successor to Julian Nagelsmann after the 2026 World Cup, thereby again influencing the national coaching landscape.