As reported by Welt, England national coach Thomas Tuchel has named his 26-man squad for the World Cup in North America. He omitted several high-profile players, including attacking stars Phil Foden of Manchester City and Cole Palmer of Chelsea. Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid and Harry Maguire of Manchester United are also missing from the squad. Captain and Bayern star Harry Kane, however, is a certainty.
The announcement was made in a video clip featuring music by the Beatles (“Come Together”). Tuchel said he could assure every fan that the 26 players in the training camp are 100 percent committed, know their tasks, and are ready to accept their roles. The decision was difficult, and the conversations with those left out were “painful.” It was not about individual players but about a balanced squad.
One of the players not nominated immediately attacked Tuchel publicly. The identity of the critic and the exact wording of his accusations are not known in detail from the source, but the reaction shows the emotional impact of the personnel decision. Foden, Palmer, and Alexander-Arnold were still part of the squad under Tuchel’s predecessor Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024 in Germany. Foden started in the final against Spain, and Palmer scored the equalizer to make it 1-2 as a substitute.
Surprisingly, Tuchel nominated former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who has been playing for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia for two years. Tuchel praised him as a “natural finisher” who helps with set pieces, is strong in the air, and uses his body excellently. He also called Toney a world-class penalty taker. Another surprise is Djed Spence from Premier League relegation-threatened club Tottenham Hotspur.
From the Bundesliga, alongside Kane, defender Jarell Quansah of Bayer 04 Leverkusen is also traveling to the World Cup. The selection is already causing discussion in England. Tuchel emphasized that it is not about individual players but about the team: “What we want to achieve, we try to achieve as a team.”
Source: www.welt.de
