Is there a ‘Trent case’ in England? Tuchel benches the Madrid man again | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold returned to an England squad with the intention of regaining a leading role, but the expected return to the starting lineup never came. Thomas Tuchel once again put his faith in Jarell Quansah and left the Real Madrid man without minutes against Spain.

The return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to the England national team ended in another blow for the Real Madrid full-back. After nearly a year and a half without starting for the Three Lions, the defender had an important opportunity at Wembley, but Thomas Tuchel decided to keep him on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

England lost 2-3 to Spain on matchday one of the UEFA Nations League, and Trent did not even step onto the pitch.

The situation once again raises questions about the role the Real Madrid player will have in Tuchel’s project, especially because in this squad he was the only natural right-back among the 24 available players.

Quansah got the nod again

Tuchel once again chose Jarell Quansah to cover the right side of the defense, a decision he had already made at different points during the last World Cup.

The England manager defended his choice after the match and ruled out the idea that it was based solely on Trent’s defensive qualities.

The Bayer Leverkusen player responded with a performance that backed up his coach’s decision: he recorded three successful tackles, four recoveries, one clearance and won three of his six duels, while also not being beaten in one-on-one situations.

Trent’s challenge continues

Tuchel had already warned before the match that Quansah was ready to compete for the position and was coming in with strong credentials after his performance at the World Cup.

The situation leaves Alexander-Arnold with little room to maneuver. He was not called up for the World Cup and had not appeared for England since June 2025, so this camp represents a chance to make up ground.

He will now have three more matches to try to convince the manager: England will face Czechia again and will also take on Croatia before closing out the international window.

The English press once again questions his situation

His place on the bench against Spain has already sparked debate in England. The Daily Mail directly framed the situation as a possible “Trent case” and questioned Tuchel’s decision to leave out the Real Madrid player in a match of maximum difficulty.

The full-back will still have training sessions and matches to try to change the picture, while also competing for the spot with Quansah and awaiting the return of players such as Reece James, Ben White, Djed Spence and Tino Livramento.

For now, the picture is clear: Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to England, but he still has not reclaimed a place in Tuchel’s starting XI. And after spending the full 90 minutes on the bench against Spain, the big question is when his next opportunity will come.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.