Thomas Tuchel didn't come to coach the England national team to make friends. By his decisions, it looks like he came to win a World Cup.
The Germany-born manager named his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday morning at Wembley Stadium and the names missing from that list are already dominating the conversation.
Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, two of the most technically gifted players in English soccer, will not be on the plane to North America. It's a bold call, and Tuchel made it without blinking.
Foden had been a fixture under previous England managers, but a difficult domestic season with Manchester City cost him his spot. Palmer's case is harder to explain on paper. The Chelsea midfielder played 33 games this season, scored 10 goals and added three assists, but Tuchel decided that wasn't enough to earn a place at soccer's biggest stage.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The message from the manager is clear: form and tactical fit matter more than reputation.
England World Cup Squad: The Big Names Left Behind
The omissions didn't stop with Foden and Palmer. Manchester United defender Harry Maguire went public before the official announcement, posting on social media that he was "shocked and gutted" after believing his recent performances had secured his place.
Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw also missed out, along with Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold and AC Milan center-back Fikayo Tomori. Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall was another name left behind in defense.
In midfield, Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Bournemouth's Alex Scott were all squeezed out. Moreover, West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen also couldn't force his way into a group that already includes Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon.
England’s Final 2026 World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders: Reece James, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, John Stones, Jarell Quansah, Dan Burn
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze
Attackers: Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Ivan Toney, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins
