Ivan Toney has secured a place in England's 26-man squad for the World Cup, completing a remarkable revival under manager Thomas Tuchel. The 30-year-old striker's international career appeared over after a disappointing substitute appearance against Senegal last June, which left both player and manager disaffected.
Toney's England journey began with his debut against Ukraine in March 2023 while at Brentford, and he went on to play at Euro 2024, scoring in a penalty shoot-out. However, after the tournament, he left the Premier League to join Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, a move widely seen as ending his England prospects.
Tuchel did not visit Toney in Saudi Arabia and called him up for a June camp, but Toney barely featured and reportedly trained poorly. The manager was unimpressed, and Toney's England career seemed finished. However, behind the scenes, England coach Justin Cochrane—a member of Tuchel's backroom staff who knows Toney well—supported his cause and went to Saudi Arabia to watch him play and speak with him.
Toney has scored 42 goals in 37 games for Al-Ahli this season, and his form, combined with injuries to other strikers, prompted Tuchel to reconsider. The manager also spoke directly with Toney, who expressed his passion for playing for England. Tuchel believes the team could face at least two penalty shoot-outs in the tournament, and Toney's penalty expertise is a key factor in his selection.
