Why Tuchel ended his football career at 24 to become a coach

For most footballers, 24 is the age when you are just getting into the mix. That’s the stage before their career peak where potentials begin to unravel. For Tuchel, it was at that age that he knew it was time to stop.

Tuchel used to be a defender in his playing days but his career got terminated by a terrible knee injury. He tried to stage his comeback a couple of times but the problem remains the problem. He said in a recent interview, “Only injuries could prevent me from having a career in the second division!”

“I was not bad throughout the youth stages. I tried to fulfil my dream to become a pro. Then I got injured and had to refocus, which was pretty hard. It was a dream that crashed.”

“I did not know what to do. It was even painful to go into a stadium and watch games because it did not feel right to not be a part of it.”

“From there, the story went very well for me because I found the passion again and instantly found the joy because I started coaching.”

The pain is worth it in the end because kick-starting a coaching career very early bestowed a lot of experience on him, which his contemporaries can only dream of. He is one of the best coaches to have plied their trade in the Bundesliga, and it took him no time to show what he’s got in the English Premier League.

Back-to-back appearance in the UEFA Champions League final is a feat to be proud of, and eventually winning it with Chelsea in less than six months after his appointment is just so superb. He has started this season with the UEFA Super Cup trophy, and the FIFA Club World Cup is also there for the taking.

He was announced the UEFA Men’s coach of the year, and his team currently sit at the top of the fiercely contested English Premier League. He has the league title in his sight this season, and he has gotten to an impressive star already.

His ability to improve players individually is evident in the pair of Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger, who were mere fringe players when he arrived. Both players are now core members of the team and are also doing well for themselves in their different national teams.