Thomas Tuchel has named his England squad for the upcoming international break, sparking debate due to some high-profile omissions. The Three Lions are set to face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on October 9, followed by a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on October 14.
The most notable absentees from the squad are Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish, and Phil Foden. Bellingham, who was recently named England's men's senior player of the year for 2024-25, has only recently returned to action for Real Madrid following shoulder surgery. Tuchel addressed Bellingham's omission, stating that while the player "deserves always to be in camp," the decision was made to maintain consistency within the squad. He emphasized that Bellingham hadn't fully regained his rhythm since returning from injury. Tuchel also said that "the best players do not always make the best team" and suggested Bellingham might have been excluded even if he was in peak condition.
Foden and Grealish have also been left out, despite showing promising form for Manchester City and Everton respectively. Grealish, currently on loan at Everton, has yet to feature in a squad under Tuchel, with his last England appearance dating back to October 2024. Foden was previously omitted from the June internationals to address physical and mental health concerns but has since been performing well for his club.
Tuchel has emphasized the importance of rewarding players who have performed well and maintaining the team spirit that led to England's impressive 5-0 victory over Serbia in their last match. He stated that the "teamwork and team spirit and team effort was on the highest level throughout the week" and saw no reason to alter the group dynamic.
Bukayo Saka has been recalled to the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury. He replaces Noni Madueke, who is out injured. Tuchel described Saka as a "crucial player" for Arsenal and expressed confidence that he is ready to prove himself in the upcoming matches.
The England squad also includes four Arsenal players: Saka, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Declan Rice. Eze, who joined Arsenal in the summer, has been in excellent form, scoring twice in a recent Champions League match. Rice retains his place in midfield, having played in every qualifier so far.
Tuchel has stressed the importance of taking the upcoming camp "very seriously" and building on the standards set in the previous camp. He noted that the team needs to "prove a point that we are ready to take the next steps and build from what we started in the last camp". He also acknowledged the emotional significance of the match against Wales, describing it as a "derby".
The England squad in full is: Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City). Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City). Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa). Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
