Tuchel Leaves Out Foden, Palmer and Alexander-Arnold for England Vs Croatia
Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup leaves out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Ivan Toney is in. The decision lands as England prepare for england vs croatia in Dallas on 17 June, the first of three group games that will shape Tuchel’s start in tournament football.
Tuchel’s squad call
Tuchel has made the selection with a clear line through three familiar names. Foden, Palmer and Alexander-Arnold are out, and Toney is in, a call that tells the story of a manager making hard choices before a major tournament rather than easing into one.
That approach fits what Tuchel has said about his own expectations. He wants “to try and put a second star on the shirt,” but this week he also said, “We can’t be one of the favourites as we haven’t won it for so long,” before adding, “There are proven winners within the tournament. These are the favourites.”
England’s qualifying record
England arrive at the World Cup with a perfect qualifying return: eight wins from eight games, 22 goals scored and none conceded. The numbers are clean, but the opposition was hardly taxing, so the squad debate has shifted from results to whether Tuchel has the right pieces for the next level.
That is where the omissions matter. England’s expected 4-2-3-1 shape leaves room for choices in attack and in the wider balance of the squad, while question marks remain over defensive options and fitness concerns around key players. Tuchel has also looked to build the right culture in camp, and he extended his contract through Euro 2028.
Dallas, Boston and New York/New Jersey
England’s group schedule gives Tuchel three immediate tests. Croatia come first in Dallas on 17 June at 3pm local time, 9pm BST, 18 June 6am AEST, followed by Ghana in Boston on 23 June at 4pm local time, 9pm BST, 24 June 6am AEST, and Panama in New York/New Jersey on 27 June at 5pm local time, 10pm BST, 28 June 7am AEST.
Before the tournament, England beat New Zealand and Costa Rica in warm-up matches in Florida, and Tuchel said after the Costa Rica game, “This will hopefully be an amazing experience,” The squad choices now put that optimism under a sharper lens: the next questions come in the line-up, not the build-up.
