We examine how England’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay has affected Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup thinking — who has boosted their prospects and who now faces an uphill battle to make the plane this summer.
Maguire’s back — and it’s like he never went away
When the England team was announced, one key decision that perhaps went under the radar was Harry Maguire’s return. Maguire has been underrated for the consistency he has shown during England’s most successful spell. He was a regular under Gareth Southgate for good reason, and on his first start since 2024 it felt like he’d never been away. He delivered in key moments, threatened in the opposition box, played intelligent passes to set up attacks and even pinged a 70-yard pass into Jarrod Bowen’s path. With the last kick of the game he threw his body in the way of a goalbound shot in injury time. His experience at major tournaments and affinity with the shirt make him a strong certainty for the 26-man squad. — Lewis Jones
Tuchel backs White after Wembley boos
Ben White endured a tumultuous night at Wembley, being booed by the crowd after scoring and then penalised harshly in stoppage time. Tuchel publicly defended him: “We protect our players. He’s ready to write some new chapters.” White was an injury replacement in this squad for Jarell Quansah and came on as a centre-back here, showing versatility but appearing down the pecking order for his preferred right-back role. With competition from the likes of Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa for centre-back spots, and the evident fan sentiment at Wembley, Tuchel will have to weigh whether the disruption around White is worth taking him to the World Cup. — Peter Smith
The Foden question continues
Phil Foden now has 48 caps and four goals. As ever he was neat and tidy, but the incision and threat that fans expect were largely missing. Tuchel noted that in moments he could be more adventurous, though he also praised Foden’s tactical and defensive work in training: “We needed a very solid, tactical smart performance in midfield. That was when Phil came into play. He was outstanding in the defensive patterns in training.” With Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham likely to feature against Japan and Cole Palmer lively off the bench here, Foden’s starting place isn’t guaranteed — but Tuchel still seems to value what he adds to the squad dynamic. — Peter Smith
Calvert-Lewin and Solanke unable to seize Kane deputy role
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will rue a golden opportunity to score his first England goal in five years and press his case as Harry Kane’s deputy after miscuing a header from Cole Palmer’s cross. Tuchel said: “He had the big chance and he’s upset with himself. It’s normally a clear goal. He could have made a statement straight away. Did quite well.” Dominic Solanke received praise for his pressing and work-rate before being replaced by Calvert-Lewin, but neither forward produced a decisive moment. Ollie Watkins remains in the mix if he can rediscover his Aston Villa form. — Peter Smith
Debutants not overawed — did fringe figures do enough?
James Garner and James Trafford made senior debuts. Garner’s selection over Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo raised eyebrows, but he produced a barnstorming first 20 minutes full of tackles and quality delivery before his influence waned. Trafford was steady if unspectacular in goal and will fancy his chances of being third-choice behind Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson, having been picked ahead of Aaron Ramsdale. Fikayo Tomori wasn’t tested enough to be judged fully, while Djed Spence showed link play with Solanke without really influencing from left-back. Tino Livramento, who started the Serbia win, again offered a defensively solid alternative to Reece James and was one of the few to boost his claim. Tuchel still has significant selection calls to make.
What next for England?
England host Japan in another friendly at Wembley on Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm) — the final chance for Tuchel to assess players before he names his World Cup squad at the end of the season. England also have warm-up matches with New Zealand and Costa Rica before their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17.