Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and the six biggest omissions from England’s World Cup squad | OneFootball

The England squad for the 2026 World Cup has been named as Thomas Tuchel bids to end a 60-year wait for tournament success.

The German was appointed two years ago after the departure of Gareth Southgate and will seek to build on his predecessor’s strong work in transforming England into regular tournament contenders.

Tuchel has named a group with plenty of attacking depth and midfield options, but perhaps looks short on established international options in an intriguing group of defenders.

While there was joy for those included, plenty will be disappointed to miss out after a number of close calls in finalising the 26-man party.

Here are six of the biggest omissions from the England squad:

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Phil Foden has missed out on the squad (Reuters)

It would have been unthinkable for this squad to not include Phil Foden a couple of years ago when the Manchester City playmaker was at his best, with Foden emerging as a key figure in the latter days of the Gareth Southgate era. But the 25-year-old has found himself pushed to the fringes in Pep Guardiola’s squad this season after struggling for form early in the campaign, and his recent strong showings have not been enough to force his way in. It is surely a gamble, though, for Tuchel to overlook him and...

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Cole Palmer is a shock omission from England's squad (Getty)

The crowded fight for playmaking places has also squeezed out Cole Palmer, in perhaps even a greater shock. It is not even 12 months since Palmer was player of the match in both the Conference League and Club World Cup finals, and while his form has flitted a touch this season, that has been in part due to the chaos of Chelsea. Concerns over his sharpness remain, though, after a heavy workload in the 2024/25 season, and Tuchel may have wondered what his ideal role in the side was – in the end, the England manager has decided that the best place for Palmer is on the outside looking in.

Morgan Gibbs-White

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Morgan Gibbs-White has been in excellent form for Nottingham Forest (Getty)

Form was not a question for Morgan Gibbs-White, who has finished the season superbly to power a turnaround for Nottingham Forest. Heading into the final round of Premier League fixtures, Gibbs-White is tied as a top English scorer with 14 goals and has a strong connection with Elliot Anderson in midfield. Again, though, the competitive fight for creative places has counted against him.

Harry Maguire

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Harry Maguire says he is ‘shocked and gutted’ to be missing out on World Cup action with England this summer (PA Wire)

A stalwart of English sides over the last decade, Harry Maguire’s game has always suited international football with his defensive solidity, range of passing and ability to be a threat in the other box. The 33-year-old has looked in fine fettle for Manchester United since the installation of Michael Carrick and would have been able to lend his tournament experience to the group. Tuchel has looked elsewhere, though, with Maguire confirming his omission on Thursday evening. “I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision,” the centre-back said on Instagram, with his international future maybe in doubt.

Adam Wharton

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Adam Wharton has failed to make the cut (Getty)

A player whose time in an England shirt will surely come, plenty may wonder why that time is not now. Adam Wharton would have offered a different option in midfield with his ability as a progressive passer on show throughout Crystal Palace’s campaign. It may be that finding a spot for him was tricky given there were perhaps more versatile or experienced options available, though Wharton can count himself unfortunate.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold has missed out (PA Wire)

Perhaps not a surprise given his lowly place in the pecking order has been signalled over the last 12 months, but Trent Alexander-Arnold may wonder if a different coach would want to at least have him as an option. A Premier League and Champions League-winning right-back, he was reinvented as a midfielder by Southgate at Euro 2024 but the intervening period has seen others emerge to push him out. An injury-disrupted season at Real Madrid did not help his cause.