Tuchel explains why Phil Foden, Cole Palmer were dropped from England’s World Cup squad
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England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his controversial decision to leave Phil Foden and Cole Palmer out of the country’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that tactical balance and team structure were more important than selecting players based purely on reputation.
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The German coach officially confirmed his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but the absence of the two Premier League stars quickly became one of the biggest talking points surrounding the announcement.
Both Foden and Palmer are widely regarded as two of England’s most technically gifted attacking players.
Why I dropped them - Tuchel
However, Tuchel explained that he did not want to overcrowd the squad with players who naturally operate in the same position.
“It was a positional thing, not taking five No. 10s and playing them out of position. Who would that help?” Tuchel said during his press conference.
Ready to go! 💪
— England (@England) May 22, 2026
Thomas Tuchel's live reaction to his #ThreeLions squad on the England app. pic.twitter.com/E9yv9EYqsA
The former Chelsea manager admitted that finalising the squad was emotionally challenging, especially because several players deserved consideration after strong club campaigns.
Still, he insisted the final selections were based on what would best serve the collective needs of the team.
“It was difficult phone calls as I respect them as players and personalities. I felt the emotion in the phone calls. I called all players and wanted to show appreciation and respect. A lot deserve to be with us, but we went back to the evidence we had in September and October," he said.
According to the England boss, the chemistry developed within the existing group convinced him to maintain continuity rather than make disruptive changes before the tournament.
He continued, “We had younger players with hunger and excitement, and it was a good mix of young and old that brought the best out of them. That is why we relied heavily on the group in those three camps.”
The manager referenced moments following England’s match in Serbia where certain squad members continued extra fitness work late into the evening without complaint.
“After the match we played in Serbia, the players didn’t see that we saw five or six players running in the dark on low-quality pitches. They didn’t complain or whisper or create their own group. And they didn’t know we saw that,” Tuchel revealed.
Tuchel emphasised that his priority was building a united squad capable of competing under pressure rather than simply assembling the biggest names available.
He added, “With every phone call, I was more sure we took the right choices. From day one, we said we were building the best group, not necessarily the most talented. The group is the main focus, and that was the headline in selecting this group.”
The England manager also confirmed that he intends to stick with the tactical structure used during the camps rather than making major adjustments before the World Cup begins.
“The idea is to stick with the formation. We will try to stick with what makes us strong,” Tuchel added.
The boss on the tough decisions that had to be made ahead of announcing his #ThreeLions squad 💬 pic.twitter.com/Q0rvMKL9eb
— England (@England) May 22, 2026
The omission of Foden and Palmer will undoubtedly disappoint both players, especially considering their status in English football.
Foden has been a key figure for Manchester City in recent years, helping the club win multiple trophies.
Meanwhile, Palmer emerged as one of the standout attacking players for Chelsea over the past two seasons.
England will head into the World Cup aiming to win their first major trophy since 1966.
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