England Assistant Manager Anthony Barry looks forward to 2026 World Cup

Assistant manager to the England men’s national team, Anthony Barry, sat down with UCFB to talk about his career in football so far and his role in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Anthony, now with the Three Lions, has previously worked with Thomas Tuchel before, where the two of them won a UEFA Champions League title at Chelsea together.

He sat down with UCFB to offer advice to students wanting a career in sport, while also looking back on his career to. Here’s what he said…

Talking about his involvement with his home nation ahead of the World Cup, Anthony said: “It’s a privilege of course.

“This is the fourth national team I’ve worked for now. And to work for any country, it’s always an honour to be asked to work for them and represent them.”

Previously on the international stage, Anthony has been on the coaching at staff at the Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Portugal, the latter two both under Roberto Martinez.

He added: “It’s always a little bit more special when it’s your own country.”

Anthony then went on to speak about the upcoming World Cup itself, to be held in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“We have a fantastic squad, a fantastic group of players,” he said. “We are in a period now with a World Cup coming up in the United States, which for me, is a great place to host a World Cup.

“So, right now, Thomas (Tuchel) and I feel we’re exactly where we should be. And we know we have a big job on our hands that comes with big responsibility, but we’re totally ready.”

Anthony is no stranger to Thomas Tuchel, having been Chelsea assistant manager with Tuchel in the Stamford Bridge hot seat when the two of them won the UEFA Champions League together.

Singing the praises of the England boss, Anthony described that moment as the best moment of his coaching career so far.

“Not just because of the medal or the trophy,” he said, “but because of the story and the backdrop to it.

“Thomas joined us only in January of that season, and we were ninth in the league table, really no hope of being successful.

“To see what he built in such a short period of time and to win the Champions League six months later was something that was an incredible education and lesson for me on leadership and how to build a team.”

When asked what the best thing about working in football was, Anthony said: “It’s probably the only thing in my life that gives me that that self-satisfaction, that challenge every day, that demand to prove yourself every day.

“Certainly, at the level I’ve been fortunate enough to work at lately. Every day you have to show that you are good enough or capable to work at that level.

“For me, that gets me out of bed every morning with a spring in my step. It really is a gift to have that type of environment to be able to try every day to show that we can operate at these levels.

“For me, that feeling of going home at night, that self-satisfaction that I gave everything to a sport that I love is for me a gift and the best thing about being in football.”

As one of UCFB’s special guest speakers as part of our Future Leaders Conference, Anthony spoke to many of our coaching students.

The conference is just one annual UCFB event which offers students the chance to hear from and network with people working in the elite level of the global sports industry.

During the day, Anthony spoke to coaching students about them wanting to study coaching via the academic route, rather than from having a professional playing career.

“I would say it does not matter so much where you start,” he said. “I think a lot of the elite managers in the world right now, they had either very low-level playing careers or didn’t play at all. I don’t think it’s a must to be a successful coach.

“I think the skillset you need to be a player and a coach is worlds apart. I think the experience of being a footballer can help, but I don’t think it’s a must.

“And I think don’t give yourself that limitation that if you don’t believe you’ve been a professional player that you cannot be a professional coach, because you absolutely can. I think education is a must.”

He finished: “Surround yourself in rich environments, where you can constantly learn and grow. I think the beauty of being a coach is that you have to be malleable and flexible and constantly adapt and update, otherwise you will be outdated.

“And I think for anybody wanting to be a coach, most skills can be acquired. And I don’t think to be a professional footballer is one that you must have to put you in a good stead.”

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