WORLD CUP 2026
Foden Out. Palmer Out. Trent Out. Tuchel's Shocking England Squad Explained
TL;DR — The 30-second version
- Thomas Tuchel announced his 26-man England squad on 22 May 2026 — and it shocked almost everyone
- Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all left out
- Harry Maguire publicly said he was 'shocked and gutted' after being omitted
- Marcus Rashford — who had been out of the squad for months — was recalled
- Tuchel has clearly prioritised a specific playing style over individual star quality
- Sky Sports called it 'probably the most shocking squad since 1998'
What Happened
On 22 May 2026, Thomas Tuchel announced his 26-man England squad for the World Cup in a live show broadcast from Wembley Stadium. Before the announcement, most fans had a fairly clear idea of who would be in it. After the announcement, everyone was talking about who wasn’t.
Phil Foden. Cole Palmer. Trent Alexander-Arnold. Harry Maguire. Luke Shaw. All left out. These are not fringe players — these are some of the most well-known, well-regarded players in English football. Their absence from England’s most important squad in years has left fans, pundits and even the players themselves struggling to understand why.
Sky Sports’ chief football correspondent Kaveh Solhekol called it “probably the most shocking England squad since 1998.” It is hard to argue.
The Big Names Who Missed Out
Phil Foden — Manchester City
Foden is one of the most naturally gifted English players of his generation. Pep Guardiola has called him the best player he has ever worked with. He has won multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League with Manchester City. His creativity, his movement and his ability to find space in tight areas are unique in English football.
Why is he not in the squad? Tuchel has not given a fully satisfying public explanation. The suggestion is that Foden’s style — unpredictable, instinct-driven, not easily fitted into a rigid system — does not suit the very specific role Tuchel has mapped out for the number ten position in his team. Whether that assessment is correct is something England fans will be debating all summer.
Cole Palmer — Chelsea
Palmer has had one of the most remarkable rises in recent English football. This time last year, he was not even certain to make the squad. By spring 2026, he was one of the most creative, clinical players in the Premier League — scoring and assisting with a consistency that made him impossible to ignore. Or so everyone thought.
His omission is arguably the most baffling of the lot. Palmer is 23, at the peak of his powers, and plays in the exact position Tuchel needs — a creative ten who can unlock defences. The suggestion from inside Tuchel’s camp is that Palmer’s defensive contribution does not meet the standards required. Whether that trade-off is worth leaving out arguably England’s most in-form creative player is a debate that will run and run.
Trent Alexander-Arnold — Real Madrid
Alexander-Arnold moved from Liverpool to Real Madrid, where he has continued to show that he is one of the most technically gifted players in world football. His ability to pass, to vision, to switch play from deep — these are qualities England rarely possess from a defensive position.
Tuchel has previously questioned whether Alexander-Arnold fits into his system. The German manager prefers his full-backs to be primarily defenders first, and Trent’s defensive work has always been the less celebrated part of his game. The decision to leave him out signals clearly that Tuchel is building a specific structure — and Trent doesn’t fit it, regardless of his quality.
Harry Maguire — Manchester United
Maguire’s omission was the most public. Shortly after the squad was announced, he posted on social media saying he was “shocked and gutted” — unusually candid language from a professional footballer, and a sign of how unexpected the call was. Maguire has been in and out of favour throughout his England career, but he has won more caps than almost anyone in this squad. Under Tuchel, he clearly does not fit the defensive profile the manager wants.
The Surprise Inclusion — Marcus Rashford
While the omissions dominated the conversation, one inclusion raised almost as many eyebrows: Marcus Rashford. The forward, now at Barcelona, had been left out of England squads for months amid uncertainty about his form, his focus and his future. His return to the squad — ahead of players with stronger recent records — suggests Tuchel sees something in Rashford that others have missed, or that he values the specific qualities Rashford brings (pace, directness, the ability to play in wide positions) in a way previous managers did not.
Rashford will carry the pressure of expectation and scrutiny into this tournament. If he performs, Tuchel looks like a genius. If he doesn’t, the questions about why he was chosen over Foden or Palmer will be very loud indeed.
What Tuchel Is Actually Building
Taken together, these decisions tell a story. Tuchel is not picking his best eleven individual players and asking them to express themselves. He is building a specific system — organised, physically intense, tactically disciplined — and selecting only the players who fit precisely into it.
He wants two clear options at every position. He wants players who understand exactly what is being asked of them. He wants intensity without the ball and intelligence with it. Some of the omitted players — Foden and Palmer especially — are brilliant footballers but arguably less easy to fit into a rigid structure.
Whether this is the right approach will only become clear on the pitch. Tuchel won The Champions League at Chelsea with a similarly disciplined, defensive-minded approach. That team was not always pretty, but it was extremely hard to beat.
Is this the right call?
- Honest answer: nobody knows. Tuchel has been brave — leaving out undeniably talented players to pursue a clear vision takes courage. If England win the World Cup, it will be called genius. If England go out in the quarter-finals, the omissions of Foden and Palmer will be cited as the reason why. That is the nature of football management at the highest level.
What about the players who ARE in the squad?
- If you're wondering who did make it, head to our full England squad guide — we've broken down all 26 players in plain English, explained their roles and assessed their chances of making the starting XI.
