Predicting an England World Cup squad was once a relatively straightforward business.
True, there has been the odd curveball. Few would have imagined Steve Bull, a striker with second-tier Wolves, making the Italia 90 squad ahead of Arsenal’s Alan Smith, let alone a 16-year-old Theo Walcott travelling to Germany as part of Sven-Göran Eriksson’s group in 2006. For the most part, though, England managers have gone with a tried and trusted core of top-flight performers drawn from the country’s top clubs.
That, though, was before Thomas Tuchel was appointed on an 18-month contract with a brief to win next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The arrival of the 52-year-old German at St George’s Park has ushered in a new age of pragmatism. Freezing out a world-class player in order to maintain team harmony? Not a problem, when you’re just passing through. Developing young talent with one eye on the future? Why bother, when you know you’ll be gone after a year and a half? For Tuchel, all that matters is the here and now (unless and until he extends his deal, which he has acknowledged is a “possibility”).
It has undeniably made for a fascinating dynamic, and the truth is that the here and now is looking pretty good. Rather than trying to shoehorn in the biggest names and biggest egos, Tuchel has placed the emphasis on the collective. In the process, he has ruffled feathers and polished diamonds in roughly equal measure, establishing an England pecking order that looks quite different to what many probably expected when his reign began in January.
Tuchel has made it clear that no one is guaranteed selection, and so far he has been as good as his word. He has largely kept faith with the group that ignited his reign with a 5-0 win against Serbia in Belgrade and went on to secure qualification in Latvia. But after dropping some important players last month, he has taken account of form and recalled stars like Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. Even so, Tuchel is successfully cultivating a club atmosphere in the England camp and, if he continues in that vein and continues to call up players on merit rather than reputation, the possibility remains that some big names could miss out next summer. But who?
In the ladder that follows, we look at: the players currently in pole position for a place in Tuchel’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system (and necessarily therefore numbered 1 to 11); who looks likely to make the squad (players 12 to 23); and who could miss out all together (24 down). Subjective by its nature, but hopefully none the less interesting for that, the ladder will be updated regularly as next summer’s tournament approaches.
THOMAS TUCHEL’S CURRENT ENGLAND FIRST XI
1) Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
The Three Lions’ captain, talisman and record goal-scorer, Kane is the first name on any England manager’s teamsheet. The 32-year-old has found the net 76 times in 110 games for his country – more than the rest of the current squad put together – and already has 23 goals in 17 games for Bayern Munich this season. Numbers like that might go to the head of a lesser individual. Not Kane, though, who works tirelessly for the greater good and brings vision and creativity to the team. Simply indispensable.
2) Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Pickford has played in all but one of Tuchel’s eight games in charge of England; his sole absence, against Senegal in June, coincided with the first and only defeat of the German’s managerial reign. October’s 5-0 win in Latvia marked the Everton man’s ninth consecutive clean sheet for England, further eclipsing a record previously held by Gordon Banks, while only Peter Shilton, with 125 caps to Pickford’s 80, has featured more often between the sticks. The 31-year-old’s focus, composure and concentration have all improved with age, while his useful habit of saving penalties is tailor-made for tournament football. The gloves belong to Pickford.
Fresh from making eight clean sheets in a row for England, @JPickford1 acknowledges the collective effort ✊ pic.twitter.com/lgeCnbXEha
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
3) Declan Rice (Arsenal)
The key cog in England’s midfield wheel, Rice is a guaranteed starter next summer. Discussion of the 26-year-old’s most effective position feels increasingly redundant, for the simple reason that he can do it all, from sensing danger and breaking up opposition attacks to driving forward and scoring goals, as he did against Andorra at Villa Park in September. “I think now I’m a bit more of a box-to-box No 8,” Rice said after England’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales in October. “The manager has adjusted my position at Arsenal a bit this year, given me a bit more freedom to drop deeper but also get in the box when I can, and it’s the same with Thomas. I think that really suits me.” The presence of midfield partner Elliot Anderson has granted Rice that licence.
4) Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace)
As Chelsea manager, Tuchel sold Guéhi to Crystal Palace; as England manager, the German has found the 25-year-old a vital figure. In a team set up to dominate, Guéhi is comfortable in possession and rarely gives the ball away. He made 84% of his 1,741 passes in the Premier League last season, and combines speed and strength with a tactical versatility that enables him to play on either side of a central defensive pairing in a back four, or in a back three, as he does for Palace. Guéhi’s attitude has particularly impressed Tuchel, who made much of the defender’s professionalism in the aftermath of his failed move to Liverpool this summer. A shoo-in for England’s starting XI, which is why he remains fourth in this list despite missing the November squad through injury.
5) Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
There are those who believe Anderson, who has started England’s past three games, has already cemented his place in Tuchel’s starting line-up next summer. While the humble 22-year-old is not among them, he has formed an undeniably effective midfield partnership with Declan Rice in his three caps so far, his diligence and discipline in the No 6 role freeing the Arsenal man to contribute higher up the pitch. No player has completed more passes or won possession more often in the Premier League this season, and his lack of ego and willingness to do a job for the team are highly valued by Tuchel. In a position where England are relatively light on standout specialists, Anderson has rapidly become an essential figure.
6) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
For all the debate over if, how and where England should deploy Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, Saka’s claim to a place on the right side of the attacking trident in Tuchel’s 4-2-3-1 system remains relatively uncontentious. After banging home a lovely curled strike against Wales, the 24-year-old has 13 goals to show from 45 England appearances, eclipsing Cliff Bastin as Arsenal’s most prolific goalscorer for the Three Lions. Saka’s work-rate and attacking dynamism are a perfect fit for Tuchel’s brand of football.
7) John Stones (Manchester City)
Patience has been the watchword for Tuchel where Stones is concerned. A combination of injury and club commitments has delayed the Manchester City centre-back’s first international appearance under the German. But in October, when the 31-year-old returned to the England fold for the first time under his stewardship, Tuchel wasted no time in restoring him to the starting lineup, where Stones rekindled the defensive partnership with Marc Guéhi that underpinned England’s run to the Euro 2024 final. Injury remains an ever-present concern for a player whose wretched run of physical setbacks had him contemplating retirement last season. Yet Stones, who also played in the team that sealed qualification in Latvia, has bucked that trend for England and has been available for the past six major tournaments. Tuchel will be hoping that run continues.
8) Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Dubbed the new Paul Gascoigne after England’s 5-0 win in Serbia, Rogers could have been forgiven for retreating into his shell. Instead, the attacking midfielder underlined his growing importance by scoring his first international goal, against Wales. Rogers has now been involved in all eight of Tuchel’s England games, starting five of them, and together with Anderson has been the prime beneficiary of the German’s emphasis on the collective over the individual. Bellingham may well be England’s finest creative force, but Tuchel says he is interested in building a team rather than “collecting the most talented players”. By that logic, Rogers leads the race for the No 10 spot – but will Tuchel really field him ahead of his Real Madrid rival come crunch-time? Perhaps it won’t be an issue. “We’re building at the moment a squad with a six, eight and 10 position,” the German said at the latest squad announcement, “so this is how the players compete.”
9) Reece James (Chelsea)
Assuming he can steer clear of injury, James is in pole position to occupy the right-back berth next summer. Tuchel, who worked with him at Chelsea, has lavished praise on the 25-year-old’s defensive prowess and ability on the ball, although his withdrawal from October’s squad did little to dampen concerns about his susceptibility to injury. Comfortable anywhere across the back-line, the Chelsea captain’s versatility and leadership would offer England obvious benefits, and he will be desperate not to miss out on a second consecutive World Cup.
A beauty of a first #ThreeLions goal ✨
Last time out against Latvia by @ReeceJames! pic.twitter.com/FvNFQn1Yb4
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
10) Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Tuchel’s reservations about Bellingham’s attitude are as well documented as his admiration for the ability of the 22-year-old playmaker, whom he has described as “one of the best players in the world”. Overlooked last month, Bellingham has been readmitted to the fold for the November games against Serbia and Albania, but readmission is not the same as rehabilitation. Much will now depend on how deep various scars run. The wounds include Tuchel’s observation that his mother found the attacker’s behaviour “repulsive”; the implied criticism that England should be a team, not a star vehicle; and Bellingham’s response to his omission . Tuchel has made conciliatory noises, praising the midfielder’s “edge” and calling on him to channel it positively. He has also made it clear, however, that Bellingham – who, having recovered from summer shoulder surgery, has been in excellent form for Madrid – must conform with the new “club England” environment. It is up to the player to harness his undoubted ability for the collective good.
11) Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City)
If Tuchel had any lingering doubts about his decision to include O’Reilly in the latest England gathering at the expense of Myles Lewis-Skelly, the Manchester City man’s barnstorming display against Liverpool two days after the squad announcement would have quelled them. The 20-year-old not only condemned Mohamed Salah to a wretched afternoon at Eastlands, almost single-handedly containing the threat of a player who had either scored or assisted against City in each of the teams’ previous nine meetings, but also showed relentless energy and attacking menace going the other way. O’Reilly has shown he can grasp the nettle at club level, establishing himself as a regular starter after Rayan Aït-Nouri, a £31m summer signing from Wolves, was sidelined by an ankle injury. If his progress for City is to be mirrored with England, he will need to maintain his current momentum under Tuchel, who handed O’Reilly a first senior call-up last month and evidently saw enough to persevere with him.
IN THE SQUAD
12) Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Having started five of England’s past six matches, Gordon has withdrawn from the latest squad due to injury. He nonetheless appears to have a place on the left wing nailed down. The 24-year-old offers pace and width and, while Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish have both merited consideration based on their club form this season, Gordon currently remains in pole position. Much will depend on whether possession really is nine-tenths of the law in the age of Tuchel, but the winger’s opener against Latvia last month undoubtedly strengthened the case for his inclusion.
13) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Henderson has been a mainstay of Oliver Glasner’s impressive Crystal Palace side. The 28-year-old produced a defining performance in May’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, saving a penalty to help Palace win the first major trophy in their history, and kept out two more in the climactic Community Shield shootout against Liverpool in August. His sole appearance under Tuchel did not end happily, Henderson shipping three goals as England lost to Senegal at the City Ground this summer. But if England are to go deep next summer, a solid alternative to Pickford is essential. Henderson a former Manchester United trainee, has shown himself to be a man for the big occasion and remains an able understudy.
14) Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
Konsa has featured in all five of Tuchel’s squads, starting on six occasions, and is the man most likely to play alongside Guéhi at centre-back next summer if Stones fails to make it. Strong, quick and comfortable on the ball, Konsa can also play at right-back, as he did most recently against Wales at Wembley last month.
15) Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)
Consistency is key for the 27-year-old. Tuchel has all but raved about Rashford’s ability, describing his potential as limitless. At the same time, the German has made plain his view that the attacker’s numbers – 18 goals in 66 caps – fall short of his ability. “He can be one of the best in the world,” Tuchel said ahead of England’s qualification-clinching victory over Latvia in October. “He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air, so where are the limits?” The German insists Rashford’s value to England will be measured in the hard currency of goals and assists, but only eight players have accrued more minutes on his watch. Tuchel has been consistent in selecting the forward; it is up to Rashford to repay that faith with more end product. Even so, it is hard to imagine a player who could also deputise for Kane as a central striker being overlooked next summer.
16) Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
For a country not blessed with an abundance of options at centre-forward, Watkins is the obvious choice as back-up for Kane. The Aston Villa man stood in for the injured England captain in October’s Wales friendly and made his mark, before injury forced his withdrawal, by claiming a sixth goal in 20 international appearances. He misses the latest squad with injury but, despite struggling at club level this season, Watkins is in pole position for a ticket to North America unless Tuchel can successfully reinvent Phil Foden as a number nine.
17) Jordan Henderson (Brentford)
As Tuchel has made clear, the former Liverpool captain is Anderson’s understudy as things stand. Much has been made of his friendship with Bellingham but, given the uncertainty surrounding the Real Madrid playmaker’s place in Tuchel’s plans, the principal focus should be on what Henderson brings to the team – which, even at the age of 35, is plenty. As his performances for Brentford this season have demonstrated, Henderson’s eye for a pass, work rate and competitive appetite remain undimmed. A team player devoid of ego, his ability and experience are highly prized by Tuchel, and rightly so.
18) Tino Livramento (Newcastle)
The right-footed Livramento has twice been ushered into service at left-back by Tuchel, and his ability to do a job in what is a problem position for England counts strongly in his favour. That the 22-year-old can also provide cover for James on the right should be enough to secure a place in next summer’s squad.
19) Djed Spence (Tottenham)
See above. Like Livramento, Spence is a right-back who can also operate on the left flank, as he did in the Wales friendly. The 25-year-old’s place will depend largely on whether Tuchel includes Trent Alexander-Arnold or Kyle Walker in the squad, but his ability to play on either side of the back four counts strongly in his favour.
20) Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Having missed out on the Qatar World Cup, the 28-year-old will be determined to ensure history does not repeat itself. His prospects look encouraging. Named in Tuchel’s first squad in March, Bowen started on the right in a 3-0 win over Latvia at Wembley and, while he was hooked after an hour after struggling to make an impression, he remains a valued squad member. His assist in October’s 5-0 win in Latvia showed why.
21) Dan Burn (Newcastle)
At 33, Burn’s first international call-up in March came out of left-field, but the 6ft 7in centre-back is an imposing and dependable figure who has done yeoman’s service for Newcastle. Burn will never be the quickest, and his performances against Andorra and Senegal this summer exposed the limitations of his distribution. But he can play anywhere across the back four and brings consistency and versatility to Tuchel’s squad.
22) Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
Increasingly influential at Arsenal, Eze is slowly playing his way into contention for a ticket to the finals. Tuchel is a confirmed admirer, and has implied he will find a place for the 27-year-old. Eze’s ability to play on either side of England’s attacking trident, or even as a No 10, could prove a trump card – particularly if any of those currently ahead of him succumb to injury.
23) Nick Pope (Newcastle)
With James Trafford warming the Manchester City bench following the summer arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Pope was one of four players promoted to the latest squad on the basis of club form. That might seem anomalous, given some of the Newcastle goalkeeper’s recent performances, and in any case it has been rendered academic by Pope’s withdrawal from the squad after suffering concussion against Brentford at the weekend. Despite that ill-timed stroke of misfortune, Pope has clearly overtaken Manchester City stopper James Trafford in Tuchel’s thinking.
24) Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Like Bellingham, Foden might feature higher on this ladder had he not been omitted from last month’s squad. To have afforded him greater prominence would have been to make a judgement based more on ability and potential than anything the Manchester City midfielder has done in an England shirt, however. In 45 games for his country, Foden has scored four goals and provided nine assists; in his past 45 games for City, those numbers are respectively 19 and nine. A combination of injury and omission has limited Foden to just two outings under Tuchel, a subdued performance against Albania and a late cameo against Latvia in which he set up Eberechi Eze’s first England goal. Part of the problem at international level has been accommodating the midfielder in his preferred central position. It was interesting, therefore, to hear Tuchel speak of his “fantasy” of playing the attacker in a “nine and a half-ish role”. With the clock ticking on his Wold Cup hopes, Foden must make the most of whatever chances come his way. Some will question whether England can afford to ignore such an outstanding attacking talent. Tuchel’s insistence that he will not attempt to shoehorn big names into his squad at the expense of collective cohesion suggests it is a possibility, even if his stance appears to have softened somewhat since the last camp.
ON THE FRINGES
25) Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
If Lewis-Skelly wants to start for England, the challenge facing the 19-year-old is clear: displace Italy international Riccardo Calafiori as Arsenal’s first-choice left-back. There is no shortage of admiration for the teenager on Tuchel’s part. All six of Lewis-Skelly’s caps to date have come under the German, who has praised his quality, training and attitude. The defender scored against Albania on his international debut in March, and was hailed afterwards as “fearless” by Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice. The risk, underscored by his omission from Tuchel’s November squad, is that none of that will matter if he doesn’t get more playing time at the Emirates. Previously the only left-footed full-back to have played under Tuchel – a key consideration if England are to field a properly balanced side next summer – he now faces stiff competition from Nico O’Reilly. The ability of Livramento and Spence to offer cover in his position does little to help Lewis-Skelly’s prospects.
26) Noni Madueke (Arsenal)
If the battle for a place on the left side of attack is likely to be played out between Gordon and Rashford, Madueke could be the player vying with Saka for a spot on the right. While the 23-year-old was omitted from the October squad due to a knee injury, Tuchel hinted that he would have received the nod ahead of Arsenal team-mate Saka had he been fit. Madueke has played a similar number of minutes to Rashford under the German, but is likely to face fierce competition from Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer. The availability of those other options accounts for his position on the ladder, as does his continued unavailability due to injury.
27) Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
It seems unthinkable Palmer could miss out and, as with Eze, the Chelsea man’s versatility may yet secure him a place in the squad. The 23-year-old forward, arguably the most compelling alternative to Rogers and Bellingham at No 10, has shown he can be effective in any of the forward positions. He is also more than capable of making the case for his inclusion unanswerable in the months ahead. First, though, he will need to overcome the groin injury that has curtailed his start to the season, and which Tuchel fears could become chronic if not properly addressed. Word is that he could be back in action for Chelsea by the end of the month; in terms of his England ambitions, his return cannot come soon enough.
28) Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Often likened to Paul Scholes and reportedly the subject of strong interest from Manchester United, the Crystal Palace man could count himself deeply unfortunate to miss out on a World Cup place. An ill-timed injury forced him to withdraw from the September internationals, but Tuchel has acknowledged his admiration for Wharton and his recall for the November games offers the 21-year-old hope that he may yet be able to work his way into World Cup contention.
29) Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
For a player named in Tuchel’s first squad in March, when he was struggling to get a start for Liverpool, a £30m summer move to Bayer Leverkusen has brought the most precious of commodities: playing time. Quansah has been a near ever-present for Leverkusen this season and would be a solid alternative for England should injuries force a defensive reshuffle, particularly since he can also play at full-back.
30) Alex Scott (Bournemouth)
Once hailed as “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola, who knows something of what it takes to prosper as a Premier League midfielder, Alex Scott has earned his first England call-up with his performances for Bournemouth this season. Building on his strong performances alongside Elliot Anderson this summer as England’s under-21 side retained their European Championship crown, Scott has emerged as an increasingly influential figure in Andoni Iraola’s side, as comfortable on the ball as he is diligent off it. It would be asking a lot of the 22-year-old to secure a place in the squad at this relatively late stage but, as an understudy to Declan Rice, England could do an awful lot worse.
31) Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea)
This summer’s 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal marked an inauspicious start to the Chelsea centre-back’s international career. Tuchel suggested Chalobah was unlucky not to make the September squad, but Quansah was called up ahead of him following Wharton’s withdrawal the following month, and he made the cut for the latest squad only after injury withdrawals. The 26-year-old will need to make the most of any opportunity that comes his way.
32) Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
Jones is nothing if not adaptable. The 24-year-old can operate as a No 6, a No 8, a right-back or in an advanced attacking midfield role, making him an undeniably useful asset. But he has been omitted from the past two squads, with Liverpool’s ongoing struggles no doubt doing little to further his cause. As things stand, Jones has been overtaken by Wharton and Scott in the race to make the squad.
1982 – Curtis Jones is the first Liverpool player to score on his England debut since Sammy Lee back in November 1982, also in an away game against Greece. Flick. pic.twitter.com/lqL9XsrKGm
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 14, 2024
33) Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid)
Tuchel has made no secret of his misgivings about Alexander-Arnold’s defensive qualities. Having given him a 26-minute run out against Andorra this summer, he has not selected the former Liverpool man since. A difficult start at Real Madrid has not helped and, with the 27-year-old currently working his way back from a hamstring injury, time is running out to allay the manager’s concerns, even allowing for the amount of football to be played between now and the World Cup. That said, Alexander-Arnold remains a unique talent whose passing range can create openings from nothing. Can England afford to ignore him?
34) Jack Grealish (Everton)
But for Tuchel’s desire to keep faith with his September squad, Grealish would surely have been in contention to face Wales and Latvia last month. The 30-year-old has been revitalised by his loan move to Everton, but a goal and four assists in 12 games has not been enough to put him in the frame ahead of Gordon and Rashford. Could that change if Grealish is able to answer David Moyes’s call for a greater goal return and sustain his form throughout the season?
35) Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan)
Recalled to the England squad in September, the 29-year-old has evidently made an impression on Tuchel, who handed him his first cap since November 2018 against Wales last month. But as the German made plain with his latest squad, the former Chelsea midfielder has been overtaken by Alex Scott in the pecking order. Given the competition he faces, it would take an extraordinary club season or a catastrophic series of injuries for Loftus-Cheek to travel to North America next year.
36) James Trafford (Manchester City)
Trafford retained his place in the England squad to face Wales and Latvia in October. However, his summer return to Manchester City from Burnley, where he kept a record-equalling 30 clean sheets in last season’s Championship promotion run, has backfired following the club’s acquisition of Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma. Given Tuchel’s preference for players performing consistently at club level, warming the bench at the Etihad was never likely to help Trafford’s England prospects, and so it has proved with his initial omission from the November squad. While Nick Pope’s withdrawal has handed him a reprieve for the time being, it is unlikely to last once the Newcastle stopper returns.
37) Kyle Walker (Burnley)
Having won the last of his 96 caps against Albania in March, Walker has not featured since. Tuchel’s admission that he did not call the 35-year-old to explain his omission from the October squad appears to have signalled the end of an era. Harsh? Yes. Fair? Probably.
38) Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
After suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season, the prospects of the Chelsea defender adding to his five caps before next summer are slim. At the age of 22, however, time is on Colwill’s side in the longer-term; there will be other World Cups.
