Trent Alexander-Arnold has been omitted from this month’s England squad, with manager Thomas Tuchel’s decision to call up Ben White following injury to Jarrell Quansah intensifying the debate over his replacement.
Gary Lineker subscribes to a theory (Image: Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Gary Lineker believes there was something “personal” behind manager Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the England squad. Alexander-Arnold, 27, last played for the Three Lions in June 2025, his only appearance since Tuchel took charge 15 months ago.
Tuchel’s latest England squad has revealed the Real Madrid star will be placed next to Reece James, Tino Liberamento, Jarrell Quansah and Ben White in the right-back pecking order. There was also fierce competition in midfield, with Alexander-Arnold initially selected for Euro 2024, but former Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate removed him after two games.
But Lineker cannot understand why former Liverpool players continue to be left out and believes Tuchel’s decision is about more than football. “You know, I’m obviously a big Trent fan,” Lineker began on the podcast “The Rest is Football.”
“I think it’s a personal issue because there’s no debate about football. We have to get more chances, even from the bench, so I don’t understand why he’s not in the team.”
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“So I think there’s something that Tuchel doesn’t like about Trent Alexander-Arnold. I’m just speculating what it is, whether it’s his attitude, whether it’s his defense not being great. There has to be something there, because it just doesn’t make any sense.”
The England legend also claimed that players like Whyte, who was called up to replace Quansah this month, are “not at the same level as Alexander-Arnold”. Lineker added that Tuchel was “really disrespectful” to him.
“With all due respect, there are players who are not in the same league as him playing in his position and certainly have the ball at his feet,” Lineker continued. “As we’ve seen in these types of games, you need someone with a bit of magic to unlock things, and he’ll provide that.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold has been out of the England squad for almost a year (Image: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“So, it doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know if it’s his attitude or what it is, I don’t know. But I also think it’s very insulting to bring in players.”
“For example, we’re talking about the Ben White situation here. He doesn’t want to play for England. We don’t really know what exactly happened in camp and why he’s not playing, so I don’t judge him on that.”
“The players do that within the team, and you know there were big scandals and stories about him not being treated very well, and Tuchel called him and said he was brought in.
Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid last summer (Image: Bruno Penas/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
“That’s all well and good, but I don’t see how he can be better than Trent Alexander-Arnold. I think that’s really insulting to a true top full-back. So that’s my view.”
At a press conference ahead of England’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay on Friday, Tuchel was asked about Alexander-Arnold’s decision to post on Instagram “Only Madrid” after helping Real defeat rivals Atlético before the international break. The phrase is taken from a song regularly chanted by fans at the Bernabéu.
“In response to not being nominated?” Tuchel replied. “Well, fair enough, fair enough. I think the decision we made was a very difficult one. There’s no doubt about his talent, his career and what he can give to the team.
“When he wasn’t in camp in September, October and November, we created a slightly different game model. It was a game model that was built on intensity and aggressiveness, even building on the profile of a right-back on the overlap and underlap, and it was very intense. The profiles of the players who performed very well in camp were slightly different. We’re just going to stick with them.”
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