Thomas Tuchel has confirmed the leak of his England World Cup squad was correct – with a series of big-name stars axed for this summer’s trip to the United States.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the latest high-profile player to be left out. He joins Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, Lewis Hall and Luke Shaw among the players told they can jet off on holiday rather than to the US.
Instead, Djed Spence, from relegation-threatened Tottenham, is set to fly out among England’s defenders. England’s other full backs include Reece James, Nico O’Reilly and Tino Livramento.
Tuchel, whose selection has drawn anger from fans – and the family of Manchester United defender Maguire – is due to speak this morning.
The squad started to leak from Thursday afternoon with the Daily Mail among the publications who revealed who was included and who was excluded from Tuchel’s final selection. That has now been confirmed.
England’s squad for the World Cup was confirmed – and it is exactly the group that the Daily Mail published on Thursday night
Tuchel said: ‘There were difficult phone calls. For some of them, it’s just a positional thing to have a balanced squad so we don’t bring five No 10s. Even if it was painful, I think it was the right call for England.
‘It is truly exciting and a great privilege to be able to name an England squad for the World Cup. It has been a tough process to decide on the nomination, but I have full belief in this group of players. They all deserve their place.
‘The squad and everyone involved with the team will give all we can to make the country proud. We know they are behind us and we hope for a very special sum.’
Fans have been left baffled by a few of Tuchel’s big-name omissions especially regarding Maguire, Palmer, Foden and Alexander-Arnold.
Supporters of the Three Lions shared their thoughts on social media, and the consensus was overwhelmingly against Tuchel.
‘No Lewis Hall is borderline treason,’ content creator Tom Garratt wrote on X. ‘Can the king not step in?’
‘When you actually think about it,’ Rory Jennings said, ‘it’s a disgrace that Thomas Tuchel is England manager, a national embarrassment.’
@Gideoomatic said: ‘Tuchel has somehow managed to unite the entire English fanbase against, quite impressive actually.’
‘Tuchel has lost his mind,’ said another fan. ‘What on earth.’
Maguire broke his silence on Thursday after it was revealed he had been left out of England’s 26-man squad despite his upturn in form.
The Manchester United defender said he is ‘shocked and gutted by the decision’ to be left at home while his mum Zoe and brother Joe stated their outrage.
Maguire said: ‘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.’
His mum said in response to his post: ‘You couldn’t have done anymore. Hold your head high… Disgraceful. Disgusted.’
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the latest England big name to be left at home for the World Cup
Thomas Tuchel has made a number of controversial picks for the tournament this summer
His brother Joe wrote: ‘This might possibly be the worst decision I’ve ever seen in my life. No words.’
Maguire’s wife, Fern, also backed the centre back – posting on Friday morning: ‘Beyond devastated for you. There was nothing else you could have possibly done to prove your worth.
‘I don’t need to tell you how admired you are, just a shame you were up against a single opinion. Forever behind you my love.’
Alexander-Arnold, 27, would be disappointed but perhaps unsurprised to miss out on the World Cup, given Tuchel’s past comments about him.
The former Liverpool right back, who started for England at Euro 2024 under Gareth Southgate, moved to Real Madrid last summer but has still failed to break through into Tuchel’s thinking. The former Chelsea manager prefers James at right back and the likes of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in midfield.
As recently as March, Tuchel said Alexander-Arnold was ‘behind other guys’ on a ‘long list’ of players.
‘We created a slightly different game model when he was not in camp in September, October, November,’ Tuchel said. ‘It was a game model built on intensity, built on positivity, built even in the profile of the right full back on overlaps on underlaps, very intense.
Alexander-Arnold also split from girlfriend Estelle Behnke earlier this season
Harry Maguire’s wife Fern was among those angry at Tuchel for leaving her husband out
‘So it was a slightly different profile of players who were with us in camp and who performed so well. We just stick to these guys that is on his back and maybe he was with us in June and he should have maybe deserved a second chance.
‘It is a very hard decision. I’m aware of it, but yeah, he took it on his chin. He will keep on going. I will make sure that I see some matches from Real Madrid, maybe [in the] Champions League to get my last impressions.’
It has been a tough few months for Alexander-Arnold, who is finding his feet in Madrid after a difficult start to his career in a new country.
Real will go trophyless this season and are in disarray ahead of Jose Mourinho’s return as manager. Alexander-Arnold also split from model girlfriend Estelle Behnke two months ago.
Elsewhere in Tuchel’s squad, the inclusion of Ivan Toney is a shock, given the Al-Ahli striker has played just three minutes under Tuchel and has not been in a squad since last June. Ollie Watkins will complete the centre-forward unit with captain Harry Kane.
Tuchel is set to include Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Dan Burn and John Stones as his centre backs. Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jordan Henderson and Kobbie Mainoo will form the squad’s midfield quartet.
