Foden, Palmer, Alexander-Arnold left out of England squad
England manager Thomas Tuchel has made several high-profile omissions in his final 26-man squad for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, leaving out a number of established stars in favour of players he believes are in stronger form heading into the tournament.
Among the biggest names excluded are Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while defender Harry Maguire also failed to make the cut despite a strong finish to the season with Manchester United.
The squad announcement has sparked debate across English football, particularly following Maguire’s emotional reaction after being left out.
“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,” he wrote on Instagram.
Tuchel’s selections suggest a clear emphasis on current form, tactical balance and fitness rather than reputation, with several younger and less established players preferred ahead of experienced internationals.
One of the more notable inclusions is Ivan Toney, who returns to the national setup after an impressive scoring season with Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, where he netted 32 goals in 32 matches.
Ollie Watkins also secured a place in the squad after helping Aston Villa lift the Europa League trophy earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Morgan Gibbs-White was among the surprising omissions despite finishing as one of the highest-scoring English players in the Premier League this season.
In defence, Tuchel overlooked several familiar names including Luke Shaw, Fikayo Tomori and Levi Colwill, while giving opportunities to players such as Djed Spence and Nico O’Reilly.
Spence earned selection despite recently suffering a broken jaw during Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea and is expected to wear a protective mask if involved in upcoming matches.
Tuchel has also retained faith in John Stones despite the defender enduring an injury-hit season at Manchester City.
Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo and Jordan Henderson both kept their places, while Eberechi Eze was rewarded for his recent form with inclusion in the final squad.
Former England defender Phil Jagielka said the omissions of Foden and Palmer reflected Tuchel’s determination to prioritise form and team chemistry.
“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,” he said.
He also suggested Toney’s inclusion could be linked to his penalty-taking ability and freshness heading into a demanding tournament schedule.
England will begin preparations for the World Cup with friendly matches against New Zealand national football team and Costa Rica national football team before opening their campaign against Croatia national football team on 17 June.
Further group-stage matches against Ghana national football team and Panama national football team are also scheduled.
Source: BBC
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