Thomas Tuchel named a bigger-than-normal 35-man England squad for their friendlies later this month, the final fixtures before he has to select a 26-strong group for the World Cup in June and July. Yet there were still some notable names who missed out.
Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw were all absent when Tuchel, addressing the media at Wembley, revealed his picks for those friendlies there against Uruguay and Japan.
This extended squad, he explained, is split into two. There are fringe players, including three who are uncapped, at whom he wants to look closely in and around the fixture against Uruguay next Friday. Then what he considers the core of his squad — Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka — will join up for the game against Japan four days later.
Tuchel did stress that “no one is on the plane to America” — for all that those in the latter group will surely be at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada as long as they are fit — but, in reality, the writing must be on the wall for those who did not receive an invite to this get-together. Yes, injuries to others could still open doors, but the England head coach’s thinking seems clear.
“This is our last camp (before the World Cup),” Tuchel said. “The last opportunity to impress and the last opportunity for players to compete for their ticket.” So where does that leave those he didn’t include today?
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Club: Real Madrid
Caps: 34
Last England appearance: Andorra, June 2025
What would be most concerning for Alexander-Arnold is that, despite the absence of fellow right-back Reece James through injury, he hasn’t been included at all. A squad stalwart under previous manager Gareth Southgate, Alexander-Arnold seems to be surplus to requirements for Tuchel. Instead, the German has looked at alternative solutions at right-back in this latest selection.
“It’s a sporting decision that we stick with Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence, who all can play for us at the right-back position,” Tuchel explained. Ezri Konsa, Fikayo Tomori and James Garner can also slot in there if required, so Tuchel does have plenty of options, but none of them play there regularly for their club.
“I know it’s a big name, a huge talent and a big career, but I feel I know what Trent can give us and decided to still stick to the players,” Tuchel added, suggesting he has seen what the long-time Liverpool defender has to offer and doesn’t want it.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been omitted by Thomas Tuchel (left) (Manaure Quintero/AFP via Getty Images)
Ollie Watkins
Club: Aston Villa
Caps: 20
Last England appearance: Wales, October 2025
Watkins has always seemed to be the main back-up to captain Harry Kane as the focus of England’s attack, so his omission from this 35-man party was one of the standout decisions. Instead, Tuchel wants to have a look at Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke as Kane’s replacements in waiting.
Watkins was one of the heroes of England’s run to the final of Euro 2024, but he has been in poor form this season, scoring only eight league goals in 29 games, and just one in his last 10 appearances across all competitions.
But while Calvert-Lewin has had a productive season for Leeds United and is back in the picture five years after his previous cap, Solanke has missed a huge chunk of Tottenham Hotspur’s campaign through injury — although he has found some goalscoring form since his return in January.
Ollie Watkins has struggled this season (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
If Watkins finds better form between now and the end of the season he may still have a chance of making the World Cup, but he should be concerned.
“The decision (on Watkins) is for Solanke and Calvert-Lewin,” said Tuchel. “I have a very clear picture of what Watkins can give us. I want to have a look at two other players to get a better picture and a clear opinion.”
Luke Shaw
Club: Manchester United
Caps: 34
Last England appearance: Spain, July 2024
A lot has been made in the past about Shaw’s injury record, but he is currently enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in terms of availability. However, although he has started all 30 of United’s Premier League games, he still hasn’t been included in an England squad since Euro 2024.
With alternative left-backs having since emerged, like Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly, it looks like the 30-year-old’s England career is over.
Luke Shaw has not featured for his country since the final of Euro 2024 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Nick Pope
Club: Newcastle United
Caps: 10
Last England appearance: Germany, September 2022
The 33-year-old has not actually represented his country for more than three years but has been in and around squads aplenty during that time. Yet the fact Tuchel named five goalkeepers — including uncapped duo James Trafford and Jason Steele — today and Pope wasn’t one of them would suggest the national setup has now moved on.
To rub salt into the wound, Pope’s team-mate Aaron Ramsdale, who is on loan at Newcastle from Southampton of the Championship, is back in and is now ahead of him for both club and country.
England may have moved on from Nick Pope (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Conor Gallagher
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Caps: 22
Last England appearance: Senegal, June 2025
Gallagher may have hoped his mid-season return to the Premier League, joining Tottenham in January from Atletico Madrid, would have strengthened his chances of getting back into the England squad. But things have not gone to plan.
The midfielder was largely out on loan when Tuchel was his club manager at Chelsea in 2021 and 2022 but he has played for England under him — starting the home defeat by Senegal last summer. However, he has not been included in a squad since.
Tottenham’s struggles near the bottom of the Premier League certainly have not helped his cause, but Tuchel appears to have already made his mind up.
Conor Gallagher’s most recent England appearance was against Senegal (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Morgan Gibbs-White
Club: Nottingham Forest
Caps: Six
Last England appearance: Wales, October 2025
It could be a similar situation with Gibbs-White.
The Forest midfielder was in Tuchel’s first four England squads last year but missed out in November and having been excluded on this occasion too, it appears that the German remains unconvinced of his pedigree at this level.
The emergence of Garner — who is arguably more versatile — and the return of Kobbie Mainoo to the fold have nudged Gibbs-White even further down the pecking order. That constitutes a surprise, given how key the 26-year-old has been for Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White is key to Nottingham Forest but not, it appears, to Thomas Tuchel’s England (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Harvey Barnes
Club: Newcastle United
Caps: One
Last England appearance: Wales, October 2020
If Barnes was weighing up whether to switch from England to fellow World Cup qualifiers Scotland, who he qualifies for via his maternal grandparents, his decision may now be a little simpler.
The winger hasn’t played for England since a friendly nearly six years ago, when he was still a Leicester City player, and that 14-minute cameo remains his only international experience. Changing nations may be his best bet to add to those minutes. Certainly if he wants an invitation to the party in North America this summer.
Harvey Barnes’ solitary cap was against Wales in 2020 during the pandemic (Nick Potts – Pool/Getty Images)
Jarrad Branthwaite
Club: Everton
Caps: One
Last England appearance: Bosnia & Herzegovina, June 2024
The Everton defender, undoubtedly a player of huge promise, is another who has just one cap to date. When he came on against Bosnia & Herzegovina in an end-of-season friendly coming up for two years ago, he was one of the rising talents in the Premier League.
Groin and hamstring injuries have slowed his emergence over the past couple of seasons and although he has recently returned to action, it has proved to be far too late for Tuchel to consider him.
Jarrad Branthwaite made his only England appearance so far at St James’ Park in 2024 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Myles Lewis- Skelly
Club: Arsenal
Caps: Six
Last England appearance: Latvia, October 2025
Last season, the teenage Arsenal full-back seemed to have arrived in senior football and appeared on course to be selected for the World Cup this summer.
He was in all of Tuchel’s first four squads, but a lack of game time at club level this season has removed him from the reckoning. Instead, with others pressing their claims at left-back, Lewis-Skelly has been named in the under-21s for this international window and his progress into the full England picture may now come at a steadier pace.
Myles Lewis-Skelly will spend this international break with England Under-21s (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Alex Scott
Club: Bournemouth
Caps: None
When the Bournemouth midfielder was included in the squad for the first time last November for the final World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, it looked like he could make a late run into Tuchel’s summer plans, despite not securing any minutes in those matches.
Alex Scott was in the matchday squad for the Albania game in November but did not get on the pitch (Bradley Collyer/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
He has played in all 30 of Bournemouth’s games this season, starting 27, and impressed. But, with other options to explore and Jordan Henderson’s experience clearly still valued, it looks like Scott will have to target future tournaments in which to make an impact for his country.
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