Thomas Tuchel makes surprising choice about World Cup final spot, and it includes Trent Alexander-Arnold
Thomas Tuchel is set to surprise everyone by choosing an unexpected player for the last spot in England’s World Cup squad, and unfortunately, that means Trent Alexander-Arnold might miss out.
With less than three weeks to go, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here. Mexico, along with the USA and Canada, will be hosting the tournament. The opening game is on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico will face South Africa.
England will kick off their World Cup journey on June 17, playing against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. But before that, Tuchel has to name his final 26-man team, which is expected to be announced on Friday, May 22, after many other countries have revealed their squads.
Some big names seem to have missed the cut, with reports saying Phil Foden and Cole Palmer won’t be going. However, familiar players like Jordan Pickford, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka have made it onto the team. The squad also includes Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, Eberechi Eze, Jarell Quansah, John Stones, Tino Livramento, Ivan Toney, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, and Noni Madueke.
There was still one mystery spot left, and many thought it would go to either Alexander-Arnold, Myles Lewis-Skelly, or James Garner. But now, it turns out all three might be left out. Instead, Tottenham defender Djed Spence is expected to claim the final place.
Spence, who has only played four times for England’s senior team, earned his spot because he can play well on both sides of defense. Interestingly, this news comes less than 24 hours after it was announced that Spence suffered a broken jaw during Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea. He was hit accidentally by Liam Delap’s elbow in the final moments of the match, with Delap receiving a yellow card.
Here’s the squad breakdown:
**Goalkeepers:** Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
**Defenders:** Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Djed Spence, Reece James
**Midfielders:** Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Jordan Henderson, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze
**Forwards:** Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon
It’s going to be exciting to see how the team shapes up for the big tournament!