Thomas Tuchel Unveils Controversial England Squad for 2026 World Cup
Earlier today, Thomas Tuchel announced his England squad for the 2026 World Cup. He has made some controversial selections – as such, some brilliant players have missed out.
In this piece, we’ll look at five of the most glaring omissions from Tuchel’s squad. We’ll be looking at players from clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester United, amongst others.
Jarrod Bowen
With 18 goal contributions in the Premier League this season, no other Three Lions player has racked up more combined goals and assists than Jarrod Bowen in England’s top flight during the current campaign.
Additionally, he has also achieved this whilst playing in a lacklustre team. West Ham United are staring relegation in the face, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying on Bowen’s behalf.
Furthermore, Bowen can also occupy several positions. Whilst at his best on the right wing, he’s more than capable of functioning as an attacking midfielder or as an out-and-out striker – such pliability can be paramount at international tournaments.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Morgan Gibbs-White is in a similar position to Bowen. Likewise, he too can be very disappointed to have not made the grade in Tuchel’s eyes.
Like Bowen, he has also notched up 18 goal contributions this season, 14 of which have been goals from the heart of midfield. He has been in excellent form recently, scoring eight goals in his last nine Premier League outings.
On top of this, he has also done this whilst playing for an average-at-best outfit. Nottingham Forest spent much of the campaign mired in a relegation battle, though they have recently secured their Premier League status ahead of next season.
Cole Palmer
Just a year ago, the idea of Cole Palmer missing out on the England World Cup squad was utterly ludicrous. Now, while understandable, it is nonetheless shocking.
Palmer is amongst the most talented players in the Premier League, but injuries and bouts of poor form have led Tuchel to pass up on the opportunity to give him a seat on the plane.
Even at his worst, Palmer is still a massive threat. This has been his worst season in a Chelsea shirt, but he has still managed to notch up 10 goal contributions. For comparison, Eberechi Eze made it into the squad, despite only totting up nine G/A.
Lewis Hall
Leaving Lewis Hall out makes little sense from our perspective. Like Bowen and Gibbs-White, his team has underperformed in 2025/26, but this shouldn’t subtract from his personal achievements in the current campaign.
A brilliant defender with impressive attacking instincts, Hall has been an excellent addition to the Toon’s backline. In particular, he kept Lamine Yamal largely quiet during the first leg of their Champions League encounter against Barcelona/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Barcelona.
More confusingly, Tino Livramento – another Newcastle full-back – has made the grade, while Hall has been snubbed. Livramento can field multiple roles on the pitch, while Hall can only fulfill one – perhaps this is the reason?
Harry Maguire
Out of all the players left out of Tuchel’s England squad, none of the omissions have generated quite as much uproar as Harry Maguire.
Maguire is a limited player, for sure, but he can be an invaluable asset if played in accordance with his strengths. In an aerial duel, he is nigh-on unbeatable.
In this sense, he can be a real game changer. On top of this, his best performances have generally come at international level, rather than for his club. He’s popular within the England fanbase – as such, seeing him left at home has been a real sting in the tail for many.