Ivan Toney will be waiting with bated breath on whether he is selected in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. The Al-Ahli striker has scored an eye-watering 42 goals in 48 games this season, with 32 coming in the league. A potent finisher in front of goal and incredibly reliable from the penalty spot, the 30-year-old could prove to be an important member of Tuchel's squad.
Impressive Al-Ahli Form
In January 2026, Toney put on a clinic in a high-stakes match against Al-Khaleej. With Al-Ahli needing a win to climb into second place, the striker blew the game wide open by scoring a spectacular 18-minute hat-trick in the second half.
But his intense on-pitch rivalry to claim this season's Golden Boot boiled over in March. Al-Ahli suffered a brutal 3-2 defeat to Brendan Rodgers' Al-Qadsiah. Toney scored a clinical opener to notch his 25th goal of the season, but the atmosphere turned toxic at the final whistle. Toney got into a heated physical clash and post-match scuffle with Al-Qadsiah's star striker Julián Quiñones, who narrowly trails him in the goal-scoring charts. The two had to be separated by team-mates before the chaos went further.
Then, just weeks ago, Toney hit top gear again as he netted another sensational hat-trick in a 3-1 win against Al-Fateh, seizing the top spot in the league's scoring charts. A major catalyst for Toney's incredible numbers has been his on-pitch chemistry with Riyad Mahrez and Galeno. He has benefited heavily from the ex-Manchester City star's elite crossing and vision, transforming Al-Ahli into one of the most feared attacking teams in the league.
Cristiano Ronaldo Row
Toney was not afraid to call out what he believed were refereeing injustices in Al-Ahli's 1-1 draw with Al-Fayha last month. His side dropped two crucial points in their title battle with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. The 30-year-old took to Instagram to hit out at several penalty claims waved away in the game, with many fans online inferring Toney's comments point at Al-Nassr being deliberately favoured by referees.
He wrote: "Two of these actions went to VAR and one didn't. It's actually crazy how you can miss things like this in crucial moments or choose to turn a blind eye. And without saying too much that may get me in trouble, it's clear what's being influenced here!!! Also with the referee telling us to concentrate on a different competition whilst VAR is going on is beyond me. And to add with the referee agreeing that the first one was a penalty in the 90+ minute like that's going to help. But listen I guess I'm probably the bad guy for speaking some truths and pointing out questionable decisions or sh*t refereeing."
In his post-match interview, a raging Toney said: "I don't know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: 'Focus on the Asian Champions League.' This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth."
Shock England Return
Thomas Tuchel is set to include three strikers in his England World Cup squad as Ivan Toney could make a stunning return to the England set-up. The striker has not played for England since featuring in last year's friendly clash against Senegal. Harry Kane is the nation's captain and leading striker, and with two spots in Tuchel's forward line remaining, an opening for Toney is a reality. He will be competing against the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Welbeck, who have both enjoyed fruitful seasons in front of goal.
Previous Tuchel History
Tuchel is well aware of Toney's abilities and called him up to the England squad last year for two friendlies against Andorra and Senegal. It was the last time the striker joined up with his national team, with the German admitting at the time that his exploits with Al-Ahli were a key reason for his inclusion. The England boss said: "He deserves to be with us and I am convinced because he scored over 20 goals for his team this season. He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, he had a big contribution with goals and assists. I said last time [in March] that I would try to put a visit in my schedule [to Saudi Arabia] which I didn't make, so I thought bring him [Toney] over and let him travel with us."
