Tuchel Shakes Up England's World Cup Squad, Leaving Big Names Behind
In a bold move, Thomas Tuchel has announced his 26-man England squad for the upcoming World Cup in North America, leaving several high-profile players out. Notably, Ivan Toney makes a surprising return, while stars like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Harry Maguire miss the cut. Tuchel expressed the difficulty of these decisions, stating, "I love the tough decisions," and acknowledged the emotional toll of informing players about their exclusion. The squad breakdown is as follows: Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City) Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle) Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal) Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Noni Madueke (Arsenal) The omissions have sparked debate, with Sky Sports News labeling it the "most shocking squad since 1998." Maguire expressed his shock on social media, while Tuchel cited performance and positional fit as reasons for leaving out several players. In a twist, Toney's inclusion comes after an impressive season in the Saudi Pro League, where he scored 32 goals in 32 appearances. The squad's first match is against Croatia on June 17 in Dallas, with warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica scheduled beforehand. Tuchel remains optimistic about England's chances, emphasizing the need for energy and commitment as they prepare to tackle the tournament.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-05-22