England’s World Cup 2026 squad revealed by Thomas Tuchel: football – live

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Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s story on that England squad:

That meant the available slots in the No 10 position went to Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze, leaving no room for Palmer and Foden after disappointing seasons for Chelsea and Manchester City respectively. Palmer has struggled for form and fitness, and Tuchel is thought to have reservations over whether the 24-year-old has the personality for a camp that could last seven weeks.

With Morgan Gibbs-White also excluded, Tuchel has not been afraid to make some unpopular decisions. There will be many England fans wondering why Alexander-Arnold has not made the cut. The Real Madrid right-back has not been in a squad since last June, though, and Tuchel has gone on the record to say he does not trust him defensively.

Yet more Thomas Tuchel: “A lot of factors play into that nomination process. Like I said, I love the difficult decisions, and I love the tough decisions – they bring a certain edge. That is what you need to go all the way. It is hard to please. In the end, we have to pick the squad that we as a staff are convinced of and really believe in.

“You feel the love of your coach, and you feel the trust. In the end, it comes down to this – who do we really trust? The connection has to be there. Somehow, it is a bit of a tool to challenge myself. What would I think from the outside? Mostly it is about the energy, connection and trust between me and the players.”

More Tuchel: “Three very different teams. We are able to have a clear picture. A very hard opening game, England v Croatia sounds like a quarter-final game.

“If we win the group we play every fourth day, and it’s like non-stop away matches. We have to be on point with the preparation. Naturally the tension will just grow.”

England have launched their social media campaign, featuring hip, up and coming youngsters the, er Beatles.

Harry Kane sends in a message, from a rural location, with birds tweeting around him. “Really proud, can’t wait to see you all this summer.”

Tuchel: “This leadership group took massive steps, and they were driving the standards, setting the rules, and Harry was a big part of it.”

Tuchel now getting grilled by the fans. “It is allowed to dream, I can dream for a little time and then you chunk it up and go little by little. At the first camp, we said, let’s try to win it. The focus will now be on the 10 days of pre-camp.

“You could see in the selections, the idea is to stick with this formation. It should be flexible to change our defensive approach. Will we change our structure? I think we will try to stick with what makes us strong.”

More Tuchel: “Decisions were difficult, but someone had to make them … the level of emotion and what it means for players, it was very nice to see…I am sure I made the right choices.”

Thomas Tuchel: “It’s about picking a very balanced squad.”

On those missing, he confirms he spoke to all of them on the phone: “Difficult phone calls as I respect all of them. All of them deserved a call up. I called all players that have been in camp. In the end we went back to the evidence of September, October, November.

“Did this mean any of them did anything wrong? No.”

He says there was no sense in sending five No 10s and asking them to play different positions.

Thomas Tuchel speaks with Theo Walcott during his squad reveal. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

Thomas Tuchel: “It’s about the energy and the connection and the trust between me and my players.”

Thomas Tuchel: “We had to pick a squad that we love, and we really believe in. It comes down to who do we really trust? Who set the standards? Who formed the leadership group?”

Thomas Tuchel: “Once the decisions are made it gives you a certain edge, it’s one week we are on the plane, and I can’r wait to coach.”

The England app now goes to Thomas Tuchel, as he joins the studio, in full Going Live mode. “A lot of phone calls in the last three days,” he begins.

That’s as widely expected, with Toney and Spence the wild cards, Foden, Palmer, Gibbs-White, Wharton the major names omitted.

England, 26-man squad named

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Manchester City)

Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)

The production includes some England fans. “They better win as I’ve used up all my life savings,” says one of them. They’re all going to North America. Theo and Danny have made different selections from each other. They have clearly not been listening to the news leaking through in the last 18 hours. Theo’s selected Cole Palmer….

Finally got the England app launched – that’s where the squad is being announced. Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge are the panellists. Walcott was the surprise call-up in 2006, and a shock omission in 2010. He missed 2014, where Sturridge was a starter, with a knee injury.

From left: ‘Morf’, Kyle Walker, Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge pose for a photo inside the studio. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

Will Salah be in Liverpool’s team; they really need a result against Brentford: “I never say anything about team selection so it won’t surprise you I’m not going to do that now.”

Samuel Dodson gets in touch: “On the surface, this squad looks like Tuchel has taken a lead out of the mad hatters book and demanded everyone change places as he tries to shake things up. It’s true of course there have been questions hanging over certain England mainstays like Maguire for some time; but one thing that hasn’t seemed in doubt is that those players have formed a core bond of camaraderie which is seemingly the hardest thing to build in international football. If you look at some successful teams over the years, what stands out about the likes of, say, Germany was how consistent their squad selections were. Was it the case that Muller et al were always the most on form German players on the planet? Or was it that their managers recognised familiarity among the squad had greater benefits?

“The instinctive reaction is to feel that such a number of seemingly random call ups (is Spence really the best English player in that position even on form right now?); is to feel it will lead to broken, unbalanced football with players unfamiliar with one another. But then very few of us commentating are Champions League-winning elite-level managers, so I’ve gotta trust Tuchel on this! Hats off to him and would we all like some tea?”

More Slot on Salah: “Mo was really happy with the style we played last season when we won the league. We both want Liverpool to compete for trophies.”

Ouch.

Arne Slot is having his say on Mohamed Salah. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Slot on Salah and social media: “I don’t think it is that important what I feel about it.

“What it is important is that we qualify for the Champions League on Sunday, and I prepare Mo and the rest of the team to be ready for the game in the best possible way. That is what matters.

“I was very disappointed after our loss against Aston Villa, because a win would have given us qualification for the Champions League - which we didn’t do. Now there is one game to go and it’s a vital one for us as a club.”

Arne Slot is doing his final Liverpool press conference – of the season, not forever, despite social media speculation – and congratulated the champions, Arsenal: ““Let me congratulate Arsenal on winning the league. Winning it here in England is never easy and they have done a tremendous job. 40% of their goals have come from set-pieces. Football has changed and evolved.”

Joshua Keeling gets in touch: “This squad is just bizarre. Spence, Toney, no Maguire, no Palmer, no Gibbs-White. I already thought we’d struggle at this World Cup, but I’m even more convinced now. Rubbish.”

Krishna gets in touch: “Modern football is brutal. And to be the manager of English national team is akin to having a root canal without anesthesia. Every thing is measured by the results. No one would care for the process. Gareth Southgate endured it for so long and it is now Tuchel’s turn. By July, Tuchel’s stint with Chelsea will appear a rose-tinted garden in hindsight. Reach Semis or beyond , <whisper> win the damned thing and Tuchel is God. Anything less….. TG columnists will spearhead the inquisition (sorry for being blunt).”

Remember him? If you follow the A-League, you still know all about him.

There is a time in your career where you start getting older and sometimes it takes more effort to get up in the morning, to go to training, and after last season in Sydney – I enjoyed very much the league, the lifestyle and everything but I didn’t play so much – I was thinking what I wanted to do with my life. But Melbourne Victory appeared and again I fell in love with football.

Barney Ronay on social media makes a pertinent point: “Harry Maguire: anatomy of how NOT to make a case for being the perfect 7-week back-up squad member. No need for Tuchel to explain now. We all save five mins.”

Spence gets the England call

The final man in the 26 is Djed Spence, the Tottenham full back. He can play on both flanks so offers versatility. There is no Trent Alexander-Arnold in the England squad.

Djed Spence is getting the call. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

Ivan Toney’s selection for England, should it come to pass, is the wild card. The sense is that, as a player in Saudi Arabia, he’s used to great heat. Plus, he’s a whizz at penalties.

Sholto Maud gets in touch to express what seems a popular sentiment: “Flabbergasted is a word that comes to mind, John.”

Another farewell: Andy Robertson and Liverpool, expected to arrive at Tottenham, relegation dependent.

“We were on the most amazing journey ever, all together,” he reflects. “When we started out Mo Salah didn’t sign as the best player in the world or the best winger in the world. Virgil van Dijk had the potential to be but wasn’t the best centre-back in the world. Alisson wasn’t the best goalkeeper in the world. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] wasn’t the best right-back in the world. Hendo [Jordan Henderson] was still trying to find his feet as captain. We were all just on this journey from the bottom to the very top together and climbing that mountain was the best feeling ever.”

One last spin for 10 things to look out for:

Farewell Pep, thanks for coming. What a decade it has been at Manchester City, where their head coach has changed the course of English football for ever. Kids are desperate to play out from the back and technique, for a long period, was favoured over physique. Like when Jürgen Klopp left Liverpool, it will be a sad day for the Premier League, not that opposition fans will admit it. Nor will they be too bothered that Bernardo Silva is on his merry way too, having distinguished himself as one of the smartest operators to have graced the league, while being incredibly consistent over nine years. The Portuguese bows out with John Stones, who at his best is one of the finest defenders in world football, but has been held back by injuries during his career. City fans will miss all three but it feels like everyone should take a moment to acknowledge their achievements. Will Unwin

Probable 26-man England squad

David Hytner and Jacob Steinberg have done their analysis and made their predictions on the final 26.

Here’s their probable squad:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford Everton, Dean Henderson Crystal Palace, James Trafford Manchester City

Defenders: Reece James Chelsea, Tino Livramento Newcastle, John Stones Manchester City, Marc Guéhi Manchester City, Ezri Konsa Aston Villa, Dan Burn Newcastle, Jarell Quansah Bayer Leverkusen, Nico O’Reilly Manchester City, Djed Spence, Tottenham

Midfielders: Jordan Henderson Brentford, Elliot Anderson Nottingham Forest, Declan Rice Arsenal, Kobbie Mainoo Manchester United, James Garner Everton, Jude Bellingham Real Madrid, Morgan Rogers Aston Villa

Forwards: Bukayo Saka Arsenal, Noni Madueke Arsenal, Eberechi Eze Arsenal, Marcus Rashford Barcelona, Anthony Gordon Newcastle, Harry Kane Bayern Munich, Ollie Watkins Aston Villa, Ivan Toney Al-Ahli

The latest England squad news, via David Ornstein and a number of other reporters, is that Trent Alexander-Arnold has been omitted, and Djed Spence is in; Spence is also reported to have broken his jaw after a collision with Liam Delap of Chelsea on Tuesday.

Here’s what we know so far on Thomas Tuchel’s England squad:

Maguire was the first to go public about being left out, with the defender taking to social media to express disappointment over failing to make the cut, but the most eye- catching omissions came in the attacking areas. Foden and Palmer have had underwhelming seasons for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively and their struggles meant they fell behind the other No 10s at Tuchel’s disposal. Morgan Gibbs-White, who has enjoyed a strong end to the season with Nottingham Forest, is also likely to miss out.

Tuchel has been bold with his selections and nothing is more striking than his decision to turn to Toney for the first time in 12 months. The former Brentford striker, who now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, was part of England’s squad at Euro 2024 but has not made an international appearance since coming on as a substitute in the friendly defeat by Senegal last June.

It had been unclear whether Tuchel would decide to pick a conventional striker to provide cover for Harry Kane. In the event he is expected to have three strikers on the plane when England head to Florida for their pre-tournament training game on Monday week, with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins expected to compete with Toney for minutes behind Kane. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke and Danny Welbeck have not done enough.

Preamble

Good morning, football. World Cup fever is here, and it’s been a feverish night of news on who *isn’t* in the England squad. And further news has been broken overnight, of which more later. The big announcement comes at 9.45am UK time.