England’s World Cup squad revealed with brutal Tuchel omissions
Some very expensive flights to Miami have just been cancelled
Thomas Tuchel has named his first 2026 FIFA World Cup squad for the England national football team and, unsurprisingly, he’s wasted absolutely no time proving he really does mean business.
The headline omissions are brutal. Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire have all been left at home, immediately sparking the sort of nationwide discourse usually reserved for The Traitors and energy prices rising.
The Palmer and Foden calls can feel harsh given that both players are ridiculously talented, but neither has really hit the levels expected of them this season, especially compared to some of the players Tuchel has backed instead. Foden, in particular, had a huge opportunity to prove he could operate as a genuine alternative to Harry Kane through the middle if needed, and never fully convinced.
It’s ruthless management, but it’s also hard to argue with when someone like Morgan Rogers has been consistently brilliant for months.
That’s probably the clearest theme running through Tuchel’s squad overall. This doesn’t feel like a vibes-based England selection. It feels functional. Balanced. Committed to trying to win.
The biggest surprise inclusion is probably Ivan Toney, whose England career looked pretty uncertain after his move to Saudi side Al-Ahli. But the more you look at the squad, the more the recall makes sense. England is actually quite short on reliable forward options beyond Kane, and Toney offers something nobody else really does. He’s physical, clinical and genuinely elite from the penalty spot, which suddenly becomes very important the second you remember this is England at a major tournament.
Elsewhere, there’s also a fascinating mix of tournament veterans and younger players getting their first real shot on the biggest stage. Nico O'Reilly feels like someone who could have a genuinely huge tournament if Tuchel trusts him early, while Marcus Rashford suddenly feels like one of the most interesting players in the squad again.
It’s not quite a “redemption arc” because that phrase should probably be banned from football coverage forever, but Rashford does have a massive opportunity to remind people why he was once seen as one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.
There are still a few omissions that could come back to haunt England, though. Jarrod Bowen missing out feels especially risky considering the season he’s had. Even in a struggling West Ham United F.C. side, Bowen continued to produce goals, creativity and a relentless defensive work rate, which is exactly the sort of profile that tends to become weirdly important in knockout football.
Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson surviving another England squad cycle will inevitably annoy people online, but there’s clearly logic behind it from Tuchel’s perspective. This feels less about sentiment and more about structure. Henderson offers leadership, experience and tactical flexibility, especially if England’s full-backs push aggressively high up the pitch.
More than anything, though, this squad feels like the clearest sign yet that Tuchel’s England won’t operate the same way previous versions did. There’s a ruthlessness to it that England managers usually talk about but rarely fully commit to.
Whether that finally leads to England winning something is another question entirely, although if there’s ever been a summer for Kane to finally break the curse, this might be it.
England World Cup 2026 squad
- Goalkeepers
Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Jordan Pickford (Everton)
James Trafford (Manchester City) - Defenders
Dan Burn (Newcastle United)
Marc Guéhi (Manchester City)
Reece James (Chelsea)
Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
Tino Livramento (Newcastle United)
Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City)
Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)
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, loan from Manchester United)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli)
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
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