Roy Keane Questions Trent Alexander-Arnold's England Omission Under Thomas Tuchel
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has entered the debate surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold's exclusion from Thomas Tuchel's 35-man England squad, suggesting that off-pitch factors may be at play ahead of this summer's World Cup. The Real Madrid star was the most notable absence in Tuchel's extensive call-ups, with right-backs Reece James, Tino Livramento, Jarrell Quansah, and Djed Spence all selected ahead of him.
Defensive Concerns and Squad Selection Controversy
Alexander-Arnold missed a second opportunity for inclusion following several injuries, which saw Ben White recalled to the England fold for the first time in nearly four years. While Tuchel has been vocal about his reservations regarding Alexander-Arnold's defensive capabilities, Keane hinted at potential discord beyond the pitch. On The Overlap's Stick To Football podcast, Keane queried, 'The strange thing is when people say about Trent and his defensive stuff, but he must look at the other defenders ahead of him and go: 'Well they're not great defensively either!''
Keane elaborated further, stating, 'It's not as if Tuchel is going, that's going to be rock solid at the back, some of the lads ahead of him, they're not even good defenders. There's something going on. Trent Alexander-Arnold was sensationally snubbed by Thomas Tuchel in his latest squad.'
Tuchel's Public Criticisms and Alexander-Arnold's Response
Tuchel most vocally expressed his concerns about Alexander-Arnold's defensive talents almost a year ago in May 2025, commenting ahead of the defender's move to Real Madrid. 'I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort,' Tuchel said. 'I think there is a point to it. This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years, if he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.'
Since transferring to Madrid, Alexander-Arnold has faced persistent injuries that have hindered his progress, though he is beginning to string together appearances for Los Blancos. In the wake of the snub, Alexander-Arnold appeared to respond on social media, sharing a picture with Vinicius Jnr after assisting in the Madrid derby and captioning it in Spanish: 'Madrid. And nothing else.'
Keane's Analysis of Squad Dynamics and Player Responsibility
Keane also scrutinised the inclusion of Ben White, who has played only seven league games for Arsenal this season. 'Ben White's only played seven league games for Arsenal. Seven!' he exclaimed. 'You look at that squad and analyse it, defensively that England squad is not good, defensively.'
Reflecting on player responsibility, Keane added, 'If you're a player like Trent and you're left out of a 35-man squad, I still think that's on you, that's on the player. You must think, 'how have I not done enough to persuade a manager to get me in a squad?' There must be something.'
He concluded by implying deeper issues, saying, 'It's about in the group. Tuchel said from day one, 'I need lads who are good travellers', all this type of thing and there's something obviously about him he doesn't like. It can't be football. You don't have to like everybody, but there's something amiss, of course.'
