Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel excludes players from Englands 2026 World Cup squad

Thomas Tuchel Announces England World Cup Squad

England manager Thomas Tuchel has named his 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup tournament in the United States. The team includes several high-profile players, but also some notable exclusions.

Among those left out of the squad are Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who played a key role in England’s run to the Euro 2024 final. Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was also excluded from the squad.

In contrast, Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney has been included in the team, despite playing only two minutes of international football since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2024. Other notable players who have been overlooked include Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White and Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Tuchel has defended his selection decisions, stating that he had to make tough choices and that it was difficult to tell some players they would not be included on the plane. He also expressed his appreciation for the players who were left out of the squad.

The England team will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17. The full list of players has been released, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and defenders Reece James, Tino Livramento, and John Stones among those selected.

Forwards such as Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, and Bukayo Saka are also part of the squad, which will face Ghana on June 23 and Panama four days later.

Source: Al Jazeera