Thomas Tuchel has made several surprise decisions in his England squad for the upcoming World Cup, omitting Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Harry Maguire while recalling Ivan Toney. The 26-man party is set to be announced on Friday, with Tuchel spending Thursday evening informing players of their fate.
Maguire, who has 66 caps, expressed his shock and disappointment on social media, stating he was 'gutted' after a strong season. His mother also criticised the decision, calling it a 'disgrace'. Foden and Palmer have struggled for form at Manchester City and Chelsea respectively, falling behind other attacking options. Morgan Gibbs-White is also expected to miss out.
Toney, now playing for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, earns a recall for the first time in 12 months after featuring at Euro 2024. He will compete with Ollie Watkins as cover for Harry Kane, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke, and Danny Welbeck overlooked.
In defence, Tuchel is set to rely on Marc Guéhi, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, and John Stones, with Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah omitted. Luke Shaw is also left out, while Tino Livramento and Djed Spence are included despite injury concerns. Nico O'Reilly is expected to start at left-back.
Midfielders Adam Wharton and James Garner have missed out, while Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, and Morgan Rogers fill the No 10 roles. Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke are favoured on the right, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon on the left.
