Trent Alexander-Arnold out of England World Cup squad, Djed Spence in – The Athletic – The New York Times

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England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama at this summer's World Cup. Bradley Collyer / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his 26-man England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney has been recalled to the fold, having not been selected for a year. Real Madrid full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and Manchester City attacking midfielder Phil Foden have missed out.
The Athletic reported on Thursday evening that Foden, alongside Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, was to be excluded, while Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and Arsenal winger Noni Madueke were set to be named in Tuchel’s selection.
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As was the case in March’s squad, Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Jason Steele, who has made two Premier League appearances since the start of 2024-25, will travel with the squad as an extra training player.
England, who lost to France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup and were beaten by Spain in the final of the 2024 European Championship, will travel to the United States on June 1 for a training camp in Florida.
Tuchel’s side have been drawn into Group L at the tournament and will play Croatia on June 17, Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.
Analysis by football reporter Dan Sheldon
Morgan Gibbs-White being left out of the World Cup squad should be considered a surprise, especially when you consider how well he has performed this season, scoring 17 goals and registering seven assists in 52 appearances for Nottingham Forest.
Alexander-Arnold hasn’t once been picked by Tuchel, so the Real Madrid defender being given the summer off was expected.
Manchester United’s Harry Maguire released a statement on Thursday night to say he was “shocked and gutted” to have been overlooked, yet it is worth remembering that less than two months ago the England manager said he was fifth-choice in the pecking order.
Zoe Maguire, Harry’s mother, also aired her displeasure over the omission, saying she was “disgusted”.
In isolation, leaving out Foden and Palmer leaves England short of two great attacking options — on their day — but neither has had a particularly memorable season.
Sheldon
Toney returning to the England fold for the first time in a year is the biggest story to emerge from Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
The striker was selected for last summer’s friendlies against Andorra and Senegal, but only managed two minutes of football, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute in the Senegal match, so for him to now be heading to the United States is fairly remarkable.
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There is no denying the 30-year-old’s goalscoring ability, racking up 42 goals in 49 appearances in Saudi Arabia for Al Ahli.
Elsewhere, you could consider Djed Spence’s inclusion as somewhat of a surprise, especially as he has a broken jaw and hasn’t always been a starter for Tottenham Hotspur, but Tuchel seems to like his versatility to play as either a left-back or right-back and handed him his England debut in September.
Although Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton may feel hard done by, Kobbie Mainoo, in my view, can offer more if he is coming on as a substitute, given you would expect Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson to be the starting central midfielders.
Sheldon
The right knee ligament injury Ben White sustained for Arsenal against West Ham United on May 10 undeniably cost him his place in Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
He, really, is the only and most significant player who is missing out because of an injury.
Some people may make a case for Dominic Solanke being picked ahead of Toney, but the hamstring injury he sustained in April could not have come at a worse time for the Tottenham Hotspur forward, and the reality is he didn’t do enough in the March friendlies either.
Sheldon
Tuchel has an array of attacking talent at his disposal, most notably ensuring they are not overly reliant on Harry Kane, so unlocking that to full effect is something he is going to need to figure out.
Getting the best out of Jude Bellingham, which is arguably something he is yet to fully do, should also be high on his list of priorities.
The Real Madrid player is a precious talent and has already shown he can thrive on the biggest stage, so ensuring he is at his very best will be paramount to England’s chances of going deep into the tournament.
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Sheldon
Tuchel is taking the squad to Miami on June 1, where they will prepare for the World Cup in extremely testing conditions, given the heat and humidity.
The idea behind the camp is that it will help them be ready for the tournament, particularly the latter stages should they get there.
They are utitlising their early arrival by organising warm-up friendlies against New Zealand in Tampa on June 6 and Costa Rica in Orlando on June 10, before they then head off to their main base camp in Kansas City.
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City).
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), 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 United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
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