England manager Thomas Tuchel has several key decisions to make regarding his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. The team has secured qualification and has two more camps before the tournament, with a November set of qualifiers and March friendlies serving as the final opportunities to assess players. Tuchel is aiming for a squad with clear roles and depth, meaning competition is fierce for many positions.
Certain players are considered "on the plane" due to their consistent performance and importance to the team, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, defenders John Stones, Marc Guehi, and Ezri Konsa, midfielders Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice, and forwards Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane. Jude Bellingham is also expected to reclaim his spot despite a recent omission.
Several players are considered "almost there," meaning they are likely to be included if they maintain form and fitness. This group includes goalkeepers Dean Henderson and James Trafford, defenders Reece James, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Jarell Quansah, midfielders Jordan Henderson, Morgan Rogers, and Eberechi Eze, and forwards Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, and Ollie Watkins. However, competition in attacking midfield and on the wings is particularly intense, affecting players like Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.
A significant number of players have "work to do" to secure their places. This includes goalkeepers James Trafford, defenders Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah, and particularly Trent Alexander-Arnold, who needs to impress at Real Madrid. Midfielders Adam Wharton and Ruben Loftus-Cheek face stiff competition, as do forwards Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford. Players like Luke Shaw and Morgan Gibbs-White are also in a... download the app to read more
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