Trent Alexander-Arnold was the headline omission from England’s surprise 35-man squad announced by manager Thomas Tuchel, who recalled Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo for the first time under his tenure.
Tuchel’s expansive list — which unusually includes 10 forwards — leaves out out-of-form Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, while Leeds’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke join captain Harry Kane as the three out-and-out options competing to be Kane’s backup for friendlies against Uruguay (27 March) and Japan (31 March) at Wembley.
Everton’s James Garner receives his first senior England call-up and AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori returns to the squad after last featuring for England in 2023. Several players named in November, including Alex Scott and Nick Pope, were left out; Pope has also lost his club place to Aaron Ramsdale, who is included alongside Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson and Manchester City’s James Trafford.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele, uncapped and without a Premier League appearance since August 2024, is also in the squad. Tuchel said he plans a specific supporting role for Steele at the World Cup, explaining England will take four goalkeepers and that Steele will help the goalkeeper group, support the goalkeeper coach and assist with penalty preparation to ease the workload on others.
Injuries force the absence of Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James, both in the November squad. Tuchel confirmed the 35 players will be split into two camps to give fringe and less-used players game time and to “open up the competition for plane tickets to the US” ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with one group resting before the Japan friendly while another comes into camp.
Sky Sports News has been told that nations will field squads of 26 players at the summer tournament. Sky Sports correspondent Rob Dorsett described Tuchel’s approach as innovative and bold, noting the unusual split-camp method and saying he was surprised Alexander-Arnold was omitted — a development that could dent the full-back’s World Cup hopes.
Full 35-man squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Aaron Ramsdale, Jason Steele.
Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Harry Maguire, Nico O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, James Garner, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Adam Wharton.
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke.
Tuchel’s selection is clearly designed to broaden the pool of assessed players before finalising the squad for the US-based tournament, and it sets up a competitive pre-World Cup period as he balances established stars with new or returning faces.