England’s World Cup Squad: Has Tuchel Found a Winning Formula Despite Big Omissions?

On Friday, 29th May, England manager Thomas Tuchel announced his 26-man squad for the World Cup. There were several significant surprises, both in terms of the players selected and those left at home. In this article, we’ll detail the players who’ve made the cut and those who have been omitted. We’ll then assess whether Tuchel has selected a squad with the potential to win the tournament, or whether his chosen side is destined to fail.

England Squad for the 2026 World Cup

• Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
• Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
• Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
• Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Tuchel’s Biggest Inclusions: Henderson and Toney In

As with most England squads, many players essentially pick themselves. There was always going to be a core group whose positions in Tuchel’s plans were never in doubt. This group includes stalwarts such as Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. There are also several who have clearly ticked the right boxes with the German coach during his time with the Three Lions. Meanwhile, Marc Guéhi, Jude Bellingham, John Stones, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, and Anthony Gordon were very likely to go, assuming they were fit.

The inclusion of Jordan Henderson upset plenty of England fans. Many point to him being too old (he’ll turn 36 in June) or simply not good enough. But this will be his fourth World Cup, equalling the record held by England legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Not many fans or pundits would put Henderson anywhere near the level of Charlton. However, perhaps that would change if he helped England finally win the World Cup again.

Many believe Tuchel has picked Henderson as much for his leadership and influence as his on-field abilities. Indeed, the German has talked regularly about the need for squad cohesion, and that shouldn’t be underestimated. But can a 36-year-old whose best days are clearly behind him prove an asset to England at the World Cup? It seems unlikely.

Toney Included for Penalty-taking Prowess?

An even more surprising inclusion is Ivan Toney. Currently plying his trade for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, he has only played once for Tuchel’s England. And that was a two-minute substitute appearance in the defeat to Senegal in June 2025. So why has Tuchel opted for the former Brentford man? Two reasons.

Firstly, he’s scored a hatful of goals in the last two seasons. Okay, he’s playing in Saudi Arabia, which is hardly the Premier League or La Liga. But he netted 32 goals in as many league matches this season, and Tuchel will be hoping his scoring habit continues at the World Cup.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, Toney has established himself as one of the game’s best penalty takers, converting 58 of his 62 spot-kicks. England will likely face at least one penalty shoot-out if they get anywhere near the final. So to have someone of Toney’s spotkick prowess available is clearly a big plus. Additionally, he’s played regularly in high temperatures and humidity. That could stand him in good stead this summer. It is a gamble, of course, but Tuchel will be hoping Toney’s inclusion (at the expense of those mentioned below) will pay off.

Tuchel’s Biggest Omissions: Foden, Palmer, Maguire, and Alexander-Arnold Out

The most significant players left out of Tuchel’s squad were Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Whether it’s his perceived lack of defending prowess or something else, Alexander-Arnold has not impressed Tuchel. His exclusion was thus not a big shock.

The same could apply to Harry Maguire, given his age and sluggishness. The decision, however, shocked Maguire (and his mum!). Tuchel has instead selected several more athletic and adaptable defenders. Tuchel would probably have selected Maguire if John Stones had failed to prove his fitness. Even now, Stones may struggle to reach full fitness, having played only nine league matches for Manchester City this season.

When it comes to Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, it always seemed unlikely both would make the cut. Both missing out was certainly a surprise, however. There’s no doubt both possess plenty of creative talent. Unfortunately, neither has really performed at a consistently high level during the last few months.

Other notable omissions include Morgan Gibbs-White, Luke Shaw, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Garner, and Adam Wharton.

Can This England Squad Win the 2026 World Cup?

In theory, England can indeed go all the way in North America and win the World Cup. Indeed, at the time of writing, they are the third favourites with the bookies, priced at odds of 7/1. France (the beaten finalists from 2022) and Spain (the European champions) are the only sides with shorter odds.

In reality, winning the World Cup will be tremendously difficult. Whatever players Tuchel selected for his squad, the Three Lions would still need a lot of luck to taste glory this summer. That luck would have to come in various forms, too. For one thing, captain and talisman Kane would need to remain fit and firing. No Kane, no glory! It’s as simple as that.

The Three Lions will also need a little luck with their potential path to the final. Avoiding some of the other favourites, such as Spain, France, and Brazil, would be handy. They could also do with their opponents losing a few key players to injuries or suspensions. Even then, Tuchel’s men might need a few refereeing decisions to go their way.

World Cup Victory or Utter Failure?

Many England fans will view anything less than winning the World Cup as failure. And there will be plenty of hindsight pundits pointing out where Tuchel got it wrong. If England struggle to break teams down, plenty of fans will be shouting that he should have included Foden and Palmer. Equally, if England concede a goal from a corner, they will be yelling that Maguire would’ve saved them. If Henderson gives the ball away, he’ll be too old. And if Toney misses a penalty in a shootout in the semi-final against Germany, there’ll be hell to pay!

Ultimately, Tuchel will live or die by the squad choices he’s made. Time will tell whether he’ll be the hero or the villain as England aim to win their first World Cup since 1966.