Harry Maguire has stated that Trent Alexander-Arnold's latest omission from the England squad was a deliberate move to prevent disruption ahead of the World Cup. The German head coach, Thomas Tuchel, opted to call up Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah after right-back Tino Livramento was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.
This decision marks another setback for the former Liverpool defender, who has been left out in the cold. The 27-year-old has made 34 appearances for the Three Lions, but his only appearance under Tuchel came in a 1-0 victory over Andorra in June 2025. Injury problems have limited Alexander-Arnold's availability for England, but he recovered to feature for Real Madrid in the second half of the season, making a case for a spot in the squad for North America. However, Tuchel has faced criticism for leaving out a player many consider one of England's most creative talents.
Maguire's Insight on the Squad Selection
Maguire, who was also left out of the England squad, believes that Chalobah's inclusion was a strategy to avoid unnecessary hysteria on the eve of the group opener. He acknowledged that high-profile England decisions can cause disruption to preparations but did not suggest any rift between Alexander-Arnold and Tuchel, nor that the 28-year-old has such an impact on the squad.
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Maguire said: "When someone drops out like that, I do believe with the squad, you want to call up somebody with a minimum of fuss, no real media attention or disruption to the camp. So I do believe when someone did get injured, I don't think Trent would've ever been called up because the questions and everything will be about him, if it's a big game, it's about Croatia. If he called me up, the questions would be about me, Luke Shaw the same, we've been to tournaments and play for big clubs, that's what you want when you bring someone up on standby. Congratulations to Trevoh, I hope he has an impact on the squad."
Tuchel's Explanation
Tuchel himself addressed the decision, explaining: "We called Trevoh Chalobah because then we free up Jarell Quansah as full-back on both sides and Djed Spence can play both sides as full-back, so Trevoh comes as a centre back alternative and gives us full coverage in the back four." The manager previously stated that Alexander-Arnold's omission was a sporting choice, with claims of a personal grudge lingering. He said: "We had a call. I tried to explain the situation but Trent just has to accept it. I know that it creates noise when you leave a player like Trent out. It's a sportive choice and a difficult choice. Maybe it's unfair to a certain degree but these choices have to be made."
England will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia, a repeat of the 2018 semi-final, as Tuchel aims to lead the team to their first major trophy in 60 years.
