England are back in World Cup action tonight, facing Ghana in Boston as they aim to continue their perfect start. Thomas Tuchel's side are among the favourites to lift the trophy next month, thanks to a wealth of talent in the Three Lions squad. However, several high-profile players have been left behind, with Tuchel having the difficult task of narrowing his options to just 26 places for the tournament. Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire and Phil Foden are the most notable exclusions, watching the World Cup from home this summer.
Cole Palmer: The Biggest Shock
The Chelsea star's omission was undoubtedly the biggest surprise and would have been unthinkable a year ago. Tuchel opted for Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze as his No.10 options, while Noni Madueke was chosen as Bukayo Saka's understudy on the right wing. Explaining his decision, Tuchel said: 'I think he suffers from a lack of individual form within his club. He was not as decisive or as influential as he was in the last seasons, throughout the whole season. Second of all, he was not very influential with us. His record with us was just not outstanding, not good enough to make him “no matter what, he is coming”.'
Tuchel added: 'I can find a lot of arguments to have him in the squad. I respect his quality and his very unique personality... But to have these moments you need also to be in shape, you need to be influential within this group and he has just failed to prove it, on a consistent level. It was one of the most difficult phone calls... I refuse to bring players for the name.'
Harry Maguire: Public Displeasure
Maguire had a strong season at Manchester United and earned an England recall for friendlies in March. However, his stay was short-lived as Marc Guehi, John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah were selected as Tuchel's centre-back options. After news of his omission leaked, Maguire took to social media to voice his displeasure. 'I was confident I could of played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had,' he wrote on X in May. 'I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on... I wish the players all the best.'
Maguire's family also reacted strongly. His wife posted: 'Beyond devastated for you. There was nothing else you could have possibly done to prove your worth.' His mother said she was 'absolutely disgusted', while his brother called it a 'shamble' and his sister labelled it 'crazy'. Responding to the public airing of grievances, Tuchel said: 'I was a bit surprised, but I respect his personality a lot... He had an outstanding season. I can see the disappointment... The decision is that we stood firmly with our central defenders that carried us through September, October, November.'
Phil Foden: Loss of Momentum
Foden's drop-off in form for Manchester City in the second half of last season meant his absence barely registered among many. His last Premier League goal for City came in December, with only three assists since then. Such a barren run made it likely he would miss the cut, especially given his inconsistent form for England. Tuchel explained: 'With Phil it’s a little bit different because Phil was excellent in camp for us... And it hurt me a lot, actually, to call him and to tell him this decision. I could see in his reaction how much it affects him... But I think, like with Cole and especially with Phil, he lost momentum in a crucial moment of the season.'
