England will head into the 2026 World Cup with several familiar stars watching from home after Thomas Tuchel left Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, and other major names out of his final 26-man squad. England will head into the 2026 World Cup with several familiar stars watching from home after Thomas Tuchel left Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, and other major names out of his final 26-man squad. The decision has immediately sparked debate across English soccer, with the German manager making it clear that reputation alone would not secure a place on the plane to North America. The squad announcement marks the beginning of a new era for the national team. Tuchel has chosen a group built around intensity, balance, and tactical discipline, while also placing trust in younger players and experienced figures he believes can handle the pressure of a long tournament. England supporters were expecting difficult decisions, but few anticipated omissions on this scale. Palmer, Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, and Luke Shaw were all left out despite their importance in previous tournaments. Instead, Tuchel selected players such as Ivan Toney, Djed Spence, Dan Burn, Kobbie Mainoo, and Noni Madueke, showing he values specific roles and chemistry over star power. The inclusion of Toney, who has scored 32 goals in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli, was one of the biggest surprises of the announcement. England’s substitutions. The Three Lions’ squad still contains elite talent through Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice. However, the overall shape of the group suggests Tuchel is prioritizing collective cohesion rather than assembling the most individually gifted names available. England squad in full and how Tuchel explained the omissions Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City) Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), 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), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona/Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) It’s official. Your #ThreeLions players heading to the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/lqsDBYSP4X— England (@England) May 22, 2026 The England manager eventually explained the thinking behind his controversial decisions, insisting the World Cup would be won through unity rather than fame. “From day one, we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select and collect the 26 most talented players,” Tuchel said. “Teams win championships. It’s as simple as that.” The German coach believes England’s previous generations often relied too heavily on individual brilliance, and he now wants a squad fully committed to tactical discipline and team spirit. “I can assure every fan in the country that we have 26 100-per-cent committed players in camp with us who are ready to buy into their role on and off the pitch,” he added. Tuchel also admitted the phone calls with the omitted players were emotional. “It was difficult, sometimes painfully difficult,” he explained. “I felt the emotion.” Why Palmer and Foden missed out The absences of Palmer and Foden have become the biggest talking point surrounding the squad. Both attacking midfielders were considered central figures for England’s future only a year ago, but inconsistent club campaigns ultimately damaged their chances. Foden struggled to reproduce his best form for Manchester
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