Thomas Tuchel has made several major decisions in naming England’s 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup, leaving out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The omission of Foden and Palmer comes after difficult campaigns for both players at the club level.
Foden struggled for consistency at Manchester City, starting only 22 Premier League matches and scoring seven goals with five assists in 32 appearances.
Palmer also failed to hit the levels he reached last season, managing nine league goals during an injury-hit campaign with Chelsea. Despite their quality and experience at an international level, Tuchel has opted for players he believes are in better form heading into the tournament.
Maguire’s exclusion is one of the biggest talking points from the squad announcement.
The Manchester United defender admitted he was disappointed after missing out despite returning strongly this season.
“I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best,” Maguire wrote on Instagram.
Maguire had earlier spoken openly about his desire to play at another World Cup after missing the last European Championship through injury.
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“I think it would be my last World Cup for my country. I’ve been to two, I missed out on the Euros two years ago through injury, which just hurt a lot really. So I’m desperate to go, whatever role the manager would want me for.
“Whether that’s starting or whether it’s deciding games late on. I still believe, even at my age, I’m arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes. I don’t think that’s to question really.”
Luke Shaw, Levi Colwill, Fikayo Tomori, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton are also among the notable absentees. Gibbs-White misses out despite finishing the Premier League season as the joint highest-scoring English player with 14 goals.
Tuchel has instead handed places to several players who impressed during the closing months of the season. Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins earned selection after helping the club win the Europa League, while Ivan Toney returns to the squad following a prolific season with Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
Tottenham defender Djed Spence has also been included despite suffering a broken jaw earlier this week. He is expected to wear a protective mask if he features again before the tournament.
John Stones keeps his place despite an injury-disrupted campaign at Manchester City. Tuchel reportedly still views the defender as a key figure in England’s back line because of his experience and ability in major tournaments.
Arsenal trio Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze are all included after strong seasons, while Kobbie Mainoo retains his place following his recent return to the national team setup.
Former England defender Phil Jagielka believes Tuchel selected his squad based on current form rather than reputation.
“Usually for England you get to keep your place on your name, but Thomas Tuchel wants to pick on form and chemistry, so I’m not surprised,” Jagielka said.
England will face New Zealand and Costa Rica in warm-up matches before opening their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17. They will also face Ghana and Panama in the group stage as Tuchel begins his first major tournament with the Three Lions.
England World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
