Unravelling England's most controversial World Cup squad: including huge Man United and Newcastle calls
Thomas Tuchel has selected his 26-man squad to take to the 2026 World Cup next month
Oh, Thomas. What on earth have you done? Like a well-meaning, loyal cat creeping into its owner’s room in the dead of night, clutching a recently deceased rodent in its jaws before depositing the gift gently upon their chest, Tuchel has been sent scrambling by startled shrieks of “What is this?! Get it out! Get it out of our house, right this minute!”
Yes, England manager Thomas Tuchel has delivered his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and it’s one of the most controversial selections in living memory. Dead certs have been omitted, global superstars flung to the wayside, and a player from a league OPTA rank below England’s League One has been included, alongside a full-back who’s currently nursing a broken jaw.
The social media backlash has been simply volcanic - ranging from the thinly veiled xenophobia of branding Tuchel a ‘German spy’, to Harry Maguire’s mother calling the decision to omit her son from the selection as “disgusting”. We’re surely only an hour or two away from a petition being sent to Parliament demanding the manager’s resignation, alongside Jordan Henderson’s permanent deportation.
As a shellshocked nation of football fans proceeds to lose its collective mind, we’ve picked our way through the veritable powder keg of a squad served up by England’s manager, and tried to figure out whether it merits the hysterical reaction.
England’s World Cup squad unravelled - goalkeepers and defence
Amid the outcry at this controversial squad, it must be said that the goalkeeper choices are both sensible and predictable. Jordan Pickford will of course be England’s number one, with Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson and Manchester City’s James Trafford serving as his worthy understudies. There was no clamour for Aaron Ramsdale to be included, nor fellow past-capped stopper Nick Pope.
Moving on to the right-backs Tuchel, as expected, opted not to include Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. His recent exclusion from England squads sparked plenty of debate, as fans went round in circles countering tales of his attacking prowess with those of his defensive vulnerabilities. For our money, he would have been well worth including, purely as an ‘X factor’ option to bring on from the bench if the side were chasing an equalising goal.
Chelsea skipper Reece James made the squad after recovering from injury, and is expected to be one of the first names on the team sheet. He’s joined by Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah - a player we actually backed for an inclusion earlier this month - who has spent the entire season playing at centre-back for his club.
Switching over to the left flank, there was no space for Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall - the man who pocketed Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal in the Champions League earlier this season. Having him as an option might have been rather handy, Thomas. Man City’s Nico O’Reilly looks to be the first-choice in this position, with Newcastle’s Tino Livramento serving as deputy. Djed Spence, who had his jaw broken by Chelsea flop Liam Delap earlier this week, also makes the plane. He can play on either flank.
In the heart of defence, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa were selected as expected. The aforementioned absence of Maguire, however, has ruffled plenty of feathers among the Three Lions faithful. Man City’s John Stones made the squad despite playing a mere four Premier League matches this season.
Newcastle’s ‘Big Dan Burn’ was another surprise inclusion, perhaps due to his ability to play at left-back. Call us pessimistic, but there’s just something about the image of the lumbering 34-year-old being dragged up and down the flank by a lightning-quick Michael Olise, in blistering 40C heat, that feels a tad unsettling.
England’s World Cup squad unravelled - midfield
Moving on to the midfield, moral acrobatics extraordinaire Henderson was always going to be in the squad, but his inclusion was still met with disbelief from many. He’s there largely for his leadership qualities, and is highly unlikely to play more than a few cameo minutes. His inclusion meant there was no space for Crystal Palace’s rising star Adam Wharton. Couldn’t Hendo have just been given a coach/staff liaison role like David Beckham in 2010 and handed the same shiny waistcoat?
Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson made the cut as expected, as they’ll start alongside each other in the heart of midfield for the bulk of England’s tournament, however long it may last. Alongside Henderson, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo was drafted in as a backup option, after an impressive resurgence under Michael Carrick in the second half of the season. It’s a richly-deserved call-up, for sure.
In the more advanced, number ten position, neither Chelsea’s Cole Palmer nor Manchester City’s Phil Foden were included. A truly stunning decision, despite the pair both struggling for form this season. Competition for these spots was fierce, and it will be Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham who battle it out for the starting place.
Given Tuchel’s clear desire for versatility, wouldn’t Palmer have been worth including? He can slot into wide areas as well as a more central role, and famously came off the bench to score an equaliser for England in their eventual 2-1 Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. His masterclasses in both the Club World Cup and Conference League finals also demonstrate his worth as a ‘big game player’.
Moving over to the left flank, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon got the nod despite a largely indifferent few months at St. James’ Park. Some say he’s had his head turned, and is already dreaming of a big move to Bayern Munich. Barcelona loan star Marcus Rashford joined him, in what is a relatively uncontentious area of the pitch in terms of selections.
On the right, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen was unable to force his case to make the plane amid his club’s relegation battle struggles. Noni Madueke, who’s had an underwhelming debut season despite Arsenal’s title-winning campaign, got the nod to be his Gunners teammate Bukayo Saka’s understudy. A third attacking Gunner also made the cut in Eberechi Eze, who Tuchel again prizes for his versatility.
England’s World Cup squad unravelled - strikers
When Ivan Toney waved farewell to Premier League football in pursuit of riches in the desert, it also looked to be the end of his England career. Well, think again! The ex-Brentford striker is back in the mix. He’s been scoring for fun in the Saudi Pro League this season, and is perhaps the most similar profile of striker to Harry Kane England have available.
Dominic Solanke is injured, Dominic Calvert-Lewin did little to impress on his last England appearance, and Danny Welbeck, for whatever reason, hasn’t managed to charm Tuchel. Toney’s penalty scoring record is phenomenal, and he’s got experience of making an impact late on in games for his country. All in all, his selection really isn’t the worst crime committed in this squad selection.
Three Lions legend Harold Edward Kane, of course, will be leading England out in North America this summer - barring any mishaps that we shall discuss no further, for obvious, superstitious reasons. His deputy will be Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who has forced his way back into the setup after a blistering end to the 2025/26 season.
Overall then, it’s a controversial squad that’s caused no end of disbelief among England fans. While the number ten role looks to be highly specialised, the defensive options appear to have been picked with a clear desire for versatility. If the injuries mount up, this may prove to be a blessing - or it could be a costly case of square pegs bashed in round holes.
If the Three Lions fail to impress at the World Cup, the knives will be out for Tuchel, with his left-field squad choice likely to be front and centre of the criticisms. If he pulls it off? He’ll be given an honorary knighthood, and Big Dan Burn will have a 50ft statue domineering the skyline outside Wembley Stadium. We’ve got just 26 days until it all begins for England.