Football legend Wayne Rooney has issued a stark and brutal assessment of Jack Grealish's chances of playing for England at the next World Cup, bluntly stating the midfielder's hopes are effectively over.
Tuchel's Consistent Snub
The criticism comes after Grealish was once again overlooked for the latest England squad. Despite a 2-0 win against Serbia at Wembley that maintained the team's flawless qualifying run, the attacking midfielder was not involved. This omission was particularly telling as an injury to Anthony Gordon created an opening, yet manager Thomas Tuchel still opted not to recall the 30-year-old.
Grealish, who is currently on loan at Everton, has not been selected for his country since Tuchel took charge. This is despite the player enjoying a strong start on Merseyside, where he has contributed to five goals in the Premier League and rediscovered the form that once made him a regular under former boss Gareth Southgate.
Rooney's Holiday Advice
With only one international break remaining before the squad for next summer's tournament in North America is finalised, Rooney sees no way back for Grealish. On his podcast, the Wayne Rooney Show, he was unequivocal.
'Jack Grealish may as well book his holiday for the summer now because he's not getting in the squad,' Rooney declared. 'You think Andy Gordon dropped out and he still doesn't get called into it, so I think Thomas Tuchel is quite set.'
Rooney also used the opportunity to question Tuchel's team selection for the recent fixtures, arguing it was a missed chance to test other options. He believed Harry Kane should have been rested given England had already secured qualification.
'I think this international break was the perfect opportunity just to say to Harry Kane, "Go and have a week's holiday". He doesn't need to be there,' Rooney added. 'He'd want to be there but you need to take that option away from him and then it's an opportunity for Thomas Tuchel to look at players.'
Foden Emerges as a New Option
Instead of experimenting widely, Tuchel did provide a glimpse of an alternative tactic. He brought on Phil Foden for Kane in the second half against Serbia, deploying the Manchester City star in a central role. The move paid dividends, with Foden impressing and setting up Eberechi Eze's late goal.
After the match, the England boss confirmed his comfort with using Foden as a number nine if required, while also praising the depth of his attacking resources behind captain Kane.
'If Phil stays in his shape and form, I have no problem [playing him as a No 9],' Tuchel stated. 'I have some other options in mind that I do not want to discuss in public. Don't forget we have Ollie Watkins and [Danny] Welbeck, [who are maybe] more No 9s, also different options to Harry.'
For Grealish, however, the future looks bleak. He last played for the Three Lions in October 2024 under temporary manager Lee Carsley and now seems further away than ever from adding to his 39 international caps.
