England will announce their 26-man squad for the World Cup on Friday, but manager Thomas Tuchel has made the difficult decision to leave out several big names, including Harry Maguire.
Thomas Tuchel started making calls 48 hours before naming his World Cup squad. And the England manager had a tough conversation with the 26 lucky players before he started phoning them to tell them they had been accepted.
Ivan Toney hopes to be one of the team’s three strikers, with Jordan Henderson and Ollie Watkins hoping to feature. Manchester City star Phil Foden is likely to be sidelined, along with another casualty, Cole Palmer, which will undoubtedly be the biggest absence. Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be another victim.
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire was one of the unlucky players, and it was a heartbreaking decision as it effectively ended the 34-year-old’s international career.
This was not entirely unexpected, as Tuchel had made it clear in March that Maguire was effectively the sixth selection behind the likes of John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Trevaux Chalobah and Dan Byrne, with the returning Leville Colwill also expected to be absent.
read more: England World Cup squad live: Harry Maguire and Phil Foden decisions taken before announcementread more: Harry Maguire removed from England’s World Cup squad after Manchester United star “shocked and mentally collapsed”
Phil Foden expected to be left out of England’s World Cup squad (Image: Michael Regan/The FA via Getty Images)
Maguire said: “After the season so far, I was confident that I could play a big role for my country this summer. I am shocked and disappointed by this decision. I wish the players all the best.”
Fikayo Tomori is said to not be taking part, and Luke Shaw is also unlikely to be promoted from the original 55 to the final 26-man squad. Whether it’s a loud voice with players facing heartbreak or the joy of joining Tuchel’s team, which will be announced on Friday.
The Football Association is making major announcements via a new app, presented by Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott.
Cole Palmer won’t go to the World Cup either (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
England manager Tuchel is then expected to explain his options on who will travel to the United States on June 1 to join a camp in Florida before heading to Kansas City for group games against Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
Coach Tuchel has been working hard on the fitness of his key players, but he is having problems at right-back. Because while Ben White was almost certainly supposed to back up Reece James, England’s face now awaits Tino Livramento.
Jarrell Quansah looks like a shot in as he can play at right-back and centre-back, while Colwill returns at just the right time after impressing Tuchel with his performance in the FA Cup final.
Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to miss out (Image: Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Manchester City defender Stones is guaranteed selection despite lacking game time for the club.
Brentford midfielder Henderson also brings experience in his position, but Tuchel even said in March that he didn’t need to watch Newcastle defender Byrne as he knows what he can do.
Tuchel has an embarrassingly rich midfield with plenty of playmakers like Foden, Palmer and Ebelesi Eze. Not all of them will be available, but Tuchel has made it clear he wants to bring in three strikers, with captain, talisman and record scorer Harry Kane certain to be available, but two more will remain.
Aston Villa striker Watkins was left out of the squad in March but has continued his sensational form since then and is sure to feature.
Tuchel is said to have had a thorough and lengthy meeting with managers Anthony Barry and Justin Cochrane after the second of two friendlies against Japan in March.
So they decided they needed to take another look and potentially look outside of the 35-man names on the Japan and Uruguay teams.
Obviously Bukayo Saka is out with an injury and Noni Madueke is hoping to be with him in the team. Foden was given a chance but failed to take advantage of it.
Ivan Toni could be a surprise addition (Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
At that point, Tuchel had considered taking two strikes and using a false nine – something Foden Palmer or Jude Bellingham could do – but they had second thoughts.
There was no way back for former Brentford striker Tony. That’s because Tuchel has yet to travel to Saudi Arabia to watch him play.
But suddenly there was a change of heart and they looked at Tony and thought about Danny Welbeck and Dominic Calvert-Lewin again.
With Dom Solanke out injured, Toney returned to England’s squad despite making his last appearance for England against Senegal a year ago.
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