Thomas Tuchel has named a 35-man England squad for their upcoming World Cup 2026 preparations — and Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in it. With the tournament months away, the Real Madrid man's England future is suddenly looking very uncertain.
There was a time when Trent Alexander-Arnold felt untouchable in an England shirt. The Liverpool-turned-Real Madrid man was supposed to be one of the cornerstones of England's 2026 World Cup challenge. But right now, after a miserable, injury-ravaged season in Spain, he is watching from the outside.
Tuchel made it plain enough. "I know it's a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw," the England boss said, acknowledging the pain of the call while making no apology for it. Alexander-Arnold has played just 26 minutes of football for England since Tuchel took charge. That is not a platform on which anyone builds a World Cup squad place.
Who is in — and who is back
While Trent was the headline omission, the bigger story might actually be the men who earned their way back in. Harry Maguire returns to the setup after a difficult couple of years — a sign that Tuchel values experience as the big summer tournament approaches. Kobbie Mainoo is also recalled. The Manchester United midfielder was one of the real bright spots at Euro 2024, and Tuchel clearly has not forgotten what the 20-year-old brings.
Harry Kane remains captain and central to everything Tuchel is building. Bukayo Saka, despite his recent injury absence with Arsenal, is still a key part of the picture. The England manager will be monitoring his return to fitness closely — Saka's ability to unlock defences from the right is irreplaceable.
The Rashford question
Marcus Rashford's situation is worth watching too. His move to Barcelona was supposed to reinvigorate his career after a miserable final chapter at Manchester United. There have been flashes — but if his form dips, he risks being on the wrong side of a squad cut as Tuchel gets more ruthless with his selections the closer the World Cup gets.
Tuchel has been clear since day one that no player has a guaranteed spot. He expanded the squad to 35 deliberately — casting a wide net now so he can narrow it down on form and fitness, not reputation. Reputations like Alexander-Arnold's offer no protection when the hard calls need to be made.
Is this the end of Trent's England story?
Not necessarily. Tuchel stopped short of slamming the door. Alexander-Arnold remains in what pundits are calling the "departure lounge" — not selected, but not written off either. If he returns to fitness and finds his best form in Madrid before the final squad announcement, the door is still open.
But here is the reality. England are going into a World Cup with genuine belief they can win the thing. Tuchel is not picking sentiment — he is picking players who are fit, firing, and ready. Trent has a few months to prove he is all three. The clock is running.
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