Thomas Tuchel has defended his bold England World Cup squad selections after leaving out high-profile names such as Harry Maguire, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. The German coach faced a grilling from the press on Friday morning over his controversial choices for the summer tournament.
Speaking to reporters, Tuchel insisted his decisions were not based purely on talent. 'It’s not selecting the most talented players. Teams win championships and what we are trying to achieve can only be achieved with a team,' he said. He emphasised that he had chosen 26 players who are 'committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish.'
Tuchel also highlighted the need for a balanced squad with specialists for set pieces and penalties. 'I can assure every fan in the country we have 26 100 per cent committed players in camp with us who know their role,' he added. Among the absentees were Morgan Gibbs-White and Luke Shaw, while Ivan Toney and John Stones made the cut despite limited recent game time.
Explaining Toney's inclusion, Tuchel said he had 'special skills' that could help in scenarios when chasing a goal, and praised his penalty-taking ability. On Stones, who has not played a full Premier League match since August, Tuchel stated: 'He is a world class player, an amazing character and a proven winner.'
England's group stage fixtures include matches against Croatia (17 June), Ghana (23 June), and Panama (27 June). Tuchel concluded: 'I don’t fear leaving them at home. I’m very confident in the group we chose.'
