England play Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday and there are a lot of big names missing from the squad
Thomas Tuchel’s choices for his England squad certainly caused a stir this summer. The players have delivered on the pitch, getting into the World Cup semi-finals, though Tuchel’s decision to leave several high-profile names left at home prompted plenty of discussion.
From the surprise inclusions of Djed Spence and Ivan Toney to a reliance on stars with recent injury concerns, the noise around the Three Lions’ squad has brought debate both before and during the tournament. While there is no way to leave everyone happy, some omissions have attracted attention.
A spine-tingling semi-final clash with Argentina stands in the way of England reaching Sunday’s showpiece final in New York as Tuchel looks to etch his name in the history books by becoming the first foreign manager to lift the World Cup. Here is how the star-studded absentees have been spending their summer.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold
England’s right-back dilemma has been a major talking point, with Alexander-Arnold not the only man to miss out. Tino Livramento pulled out before the tournament in a major blow, with Ben White also unavailable and Tuchel choosing centre-back Trevoh Chalobah over Alexander-Arnold when the time came to replace Livramento.
England have also lost Reece James to injury and Jarell Quansah to suspension, though James returned from the bench against Norway. However, the situation only added to calls that Alexander-Arnold should be part of Tuchel’s squad.
Having been used in midfield in the last Euros under Gareth Southgate, the ex-Liverpool defender has only featured in one of Tuchel’s six major camps. The ex-Chelsea boss has stood by his decision to leave out the Real Madrid man, though, indicating it was a sporting decision.
The 27-year-old’s omission, coupled with a mixed start to life at Real Madrid, has prompted Alexander-Arnold to focus on recovering from an injury-hit campaign in a hot-weather training camp. He has been sharing updates on social media as he prepares to play under new Madrid boss Jose MOurinho.
Harry Maguire
Perhaps the most surprising absentee from England’s North American tour, the reliable centre-back has turned to the limelight of the television scene this summer. The 33-year-old became a symbol of Southgate’s teams in tournaments gone by, having been named in the 2020 Euros Team of the Tournament, but missed the last edition two years ago after missing the end of the 2023/24 season through injury.
The arrival of Michael Carrick at Manchester United allowed Maguire to show his worth after an stop-start few months under Ruben Amorim. Maguire played a vital role in their mid-season turnaround to comfortably secure a third-place finish and reverse what looked to be a disastrous campaign.
He looked likely to take his place in Tuchel’s squad after returning for the March friendlies but ultimately missed out. The 33-year-old spoke to Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football show after being left “shocked and gutted” at not making the final 26.
Cole Palmer
One of the several attacking stars excluded by Tuchel, Palmer’s inconsistent campaign for Chelsea curtailed any chance of him playing a starring role this summer. However, questions were asked about his omission after England struggled to break down low blocks, especially in the group stage draw with Ghana.
His ability to deliver in crucial moments, most notably in the Euro 2024 final against Spain, meant it was hard to overlook his undeniable quality on the biggest stage. However, Tuchel’s emphasis on having a more balanced, specialised squad as opposed to relying on individual quality, as England have done in the past, resulted in Palmer missing out.
The 24-year-old will be hopeful of a much-improved campaign under new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso. He has spent the off-season in Ibiza, while also launching premium ice brand COLE’D.
Phil Foden
In a situation similar to that of Palmer, Foden has struggled to register the incredible numbers of seasons gone by. Foden was key to Manchester City winning the Premier League title in 2024 when he won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year thanks to his 19 goals and eight assists in the league.
However, Foden failed to replicate that form in the Euros and his performances on the pitch since have been inconsistent. He only returned seven league goals in each of his last two campaigns and the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo saw his minutes limited further.
The brilliance Foden has displayed for his club has yet to translate to the England set-up and may have been another factor behind Tuchel leaving him out. While his compatriots have been in action in North America, the six-time Premier League champion has been seen enjoying some of the country’s major sporting events including the British Grand Prix and Wimbledon, as well as holidaying in Marbella.
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