Chelsea star Cole Palmer was among those surprisingly left out of England’s World Cup squad and has given his thoughts on being left out of the squad for the tournament.
Cole Palmer unexpectedly absent from England World Cup (Image: Getty Images)
Cole Palmer believes he would have offered “something different” to England’s World Cup squad. The Chelsea playmaker was one of the names surprisingly left out of the Three Lions’ squad ahead of the tournament.
His absence comes after a difficult season at Stamford Bridge, in which Palmer scored 11 goals in all competitions. Some have since suggested the former Manchester City star could be a useful addition to the squad, given the attacking challenges against Ghana, Panama and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In an interview with the Times, Palmer believes he would have made a difference to the team. he said:
“Every player who plays soccer wants to be in the World Cup, but for whatever reason, it’s a decision you can’t change and it’s a difficult decision. But I’m just trying to enjoy the summer off – it’s my first summer ever.”
“Of course it’s nice (fans are saying Palmer should have been included), but I’m not there. I know what I could have offered, something different than what the manager chose. But like I said, I can’t change the decision and I wish everyone the best.”
“Of course. It’s like anything. Essentially, if you’re told you’re not good enough, you want to prove people wrong. So, yeah, I think so.”
Palmer, 24, has made 14 appearances for England during his career, scoring twice, including the goal in the Euro 2024 final against Spain. The comments are not the first time Palmer has spoken out about missing the World Cup.
Last month, he said: “This season hasn’t been the best, but that’s the way it is. I’m not crying over decisions that can’t be changed. I hope the players follow through.”
Thomas Tuchel and Cole Palmer (Image: Getty Images)
“I don’t get too depressed. I just talk to my friends outside of football. They’re normal people, so that helps me feel normal and grounded.”
England will resume play on Monday morning as they aim to reach their third successive World Cup quarter-final. The Three Lions will play co-host Mexico at the Aztecs. If they win this game, Tuchel’s side will face either Brazil or Norway in the last eight of the World Cup.
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