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England manager Thomas Tuchel has made a bold and surprising call by excluding star right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold from his 35-man provisional squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Along with the Real Madrid star among the high-profile absentees, there is also disappointment for Luke Shaw, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Alex Scott. Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney. Meanwhile, Tuchel has explained his decision for the exclusion, and here is what he has said.
Tuchel explains leaving Trent out of England FIFA World Cup squad
The decision prioritizes emerging talents Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, and Tino Livramento in the right-back position over the Real Madrid player, who recently transferred from Liverpool to the Spanish giants.
Tuchel stated:
“I know what Trent can give us, and we decided to stick with our players.”
The German manager added:
“I know his strengths, he’s a huge player but It’s a sportive decision… we stick with Quansah, Spence, Livramento”.
The expanded squad, set for upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley, also sees notable inclusions like the return of Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo.
England's upcoming World Cup preparation friendlies are scheduled for the current international break in March 2026. The Three Lions will face Uruguay at Wembley Stadium and will then host Japan at the same venue.
These matches, announced as part of Thomas Tuchel's final home preparations ahead of naming his World Cup squad, represent key tests against fellow 2026 World Cup qualifiers and come amid the recent 35-man provisional squad reveal.
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