England have qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will not play again after tonight’s game against Albania until the March international break. That means manager Thomas Tuchel is already thinking a lot about his team as they head across the Atlantic in search of the country’s first trophy since 1966. The Three Lions manager has so far left some high-profile players out of his squad and made some controversial additions.
However, despite leaving Jude Bellingham out of October’s squad, the Real Madrid midfielder is highly expected to travel next summer. However, the German head coach cannot please everyone and he and his staff can only take 26 players to the tournament. So which players should Tuchel keep at home for the trip to the US? The Express Sport team has an early opinion…
charlie mallam
There are too many other midfield and number 10 options that I would rank higher than Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Adam Wharton is a must, meaning Morgan Gibbs-White will be another unfortunate casualty in midfield. Despite his improved minutes and form at Everton, Jack Grealish is yet to feature in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, and with just one international game since then leading up to the World Cup, the door appears to be closed for him. Defensively, Dan Byrne is not an elite left-back, with Miles Lewis-Skelly, Jed Spence, Tino Libramento, Luke Shaw and Nico O’Reilly all better, and at best a fourth-choice centre-back. Is his set-piece threat alone worth entering as a wildcard? Probably, but he hasn’t been able to join my team yet. Sorry, Dan.
Dan Byrne, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jack Grealish
archie griggs
Elliot Anderson’s emergence as England’s new midfield general means there should be no room for Jordan Henderson in the squad. It’s time for manager Thomas Tuchel to focus on the here and now, even if it involves making difficult decisions. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jack Grealish and Ruben Loftus-Cheek miss out. Morgan Gibbs-White is a good player, but England have so much quality in attacking midfield positions that he won’t be needed at the World Cup.
Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Gibbs-White
tom parsons
Ollie Watkins has endured a difficult season at Aston Villa and has been left out of England’s latest squad. Tuchel cannot afford to take players who are not in form in North America, so the striker will miss out unless he rediscovers his scoring ability before the tournament. England need to use Harry Maguire at the back. Although the defender has contributed for his country, he hasn’t established himself as a starter at Manchester United for many years. He may lack the sharpness needed to win a World Cup with England. Dan Byrne, on the other hand, hasn’t shown enough ability to secure a permanent position at either left-back or centre-back. In midfield, Maguire’s Red Devils teammate Koby Mainu could also make up for the lack of playing time at Old Trafford, as Tuchel should rely on players who perform week in and week out for the club.
Harry Maguire, Dan Byrne, Kobie Mainou, Ollie Watkins
Jack McEachen
Unfortunately, for a few players, they will never be able to play in the World Cup. Because England have the most talented national team since Spain, the iconic 2010 winners. Ivan Toney was Harry Kane’s perfect back-up at the Euros, but the trip to Saudi Arabia severely hampered his chances. Unless Ollie Watkins returns to form, Danny Welbeck would be a candidate, but the latter is likely to feature. Similarly, Jordan Henderson’s England counterpart should be shut down, with Jack Grealish and Morgan Gibbs-White likely to be the short straws, given the abundance of quality in attacking areas.
Jack Grealish, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ivan Toney, Jordan Henderson
