Unpopular decisions are par for the course when it comes to being England manager, yet Thomas Tuchel already had supporters questioning his reign as Three Lions boss when his squad for the 2026 World Cup was announced. Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford are the only Manchester United players in Tuchel's England squad, but there could - and perhaps should - have been a few more.
Maguire's Omission Raises Eyebrows
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer were the standout omissions from Tuchel's squad, yet anyone who has watched Manchester United this season was even more perplexed by the absence of Harry Maguire's name from the 26-man list. Maguire has been a mainstay in Michael Carrick's XI since his return to the dugout in January. The centre-back's fine form helped United secure Champions League qualification with three games of the season to spare, with the Reds finishing third in a campaign that was threatening to derail under Ruben Amorim.
While Maguire's form had been more than good enough to warrant a spot in the England squad, his leadership skills and experience of international tournaments tipped the scales even more in his favour. But Tuchel saw it differently.
Henderson's Injury Leaves Gap
As England prepare for their quarter-final with Norway on Saturday, having experienced players in the squad who know what to expect from the latter stages of international tournaments will be key. There are a fair few in Tuchel's ranks, but one man he won't be able to call upon is Jordan Henderson. The Brentford midfielder has been ruled out of the tournament after injuring his wrist when jumping over the advertising hoardings during the celebrations following the win over Mexico. Henderson is expected to have surgery on the injury and will now miss the remainder of the tournament.
It's understood Henderson remained in hospital in Mexico City on Sunday evening and did not travel back with the squad to their base in Kansas City. Despite being unavailable to play, he is expected to remain with the squad for moral support, but it is unclear when he will meet up with his team-mates again.
Experience Crucial for Quarter-Final Clash
In the days and hours leading up to such a seismic clash, experienced players are as important as they are on gameday. They can help to calm any nerves, pass on advice to younger team-mates and prepare them for an occasion they have yet to experience in their careers. Henderson's inclusion in England's World Cup squad might have been questioned by some but there's no arguing with the logic that he could bring invaluable experience to the group. Maguire would have done the same and you could even make a case for him being one of England's best centre-backs.
Tuchel's decision to leave a very solid centre-back with so much experience out looked an odd one a few weeks ago. The loss of Henderson perhaps makes it look even worse.
