Thomas Tuchel has announced a significant shake-up for England's upcoming friendlies, revealing that 11 players, including captain Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, will join the squad late and miss the first match against Uruguay. The Three Lions boss named an extended 35-man squad for the games against Uruguay and Japan at the end of March, with almost a third of the players intentionally absent for the opener at Wembley.
The full list of players granted an extended rest comprises Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka. Tuchel explained that the decision is twofold: to manage high minute loads, with many having surpassed 3,500 minutes this season, and to reward their contributions in previous camps.
“All these guys have played 3,500-plus minutes, some 4,000. More important is that some have already played more than all of last season, and there is still much football to play. They have credit with me,” Tuchel said. “We will benefit from giving them a break physically and mentally.”
The absences open the door for other players to stake their claim. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, recalled after his form for Leeds, could lead the line against Uruguay with Kane absent. James Garner, also recalled, may feature in midfield with Rice and Anderson missing. Harry Maguire returns to the fold after years away and could get minutes with first-choice defenders absent.
Other goalkeeping options include James Trafford and Jason Steele, while first-choice Jordan Pickford will be present for both fixtures. Tuchel's approach allows fringe players to impress while key stars rest ahead of a busy schedule.
