Morgan Gibbs-White speaks out after missing World Cup spot, saying he did ‘more than enough’ to be picked
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White opened up about missing out on England’s World Cup squad for the first time, saying he “got on the wrong side” of Thomas Tuchel’s opinion. Tuchel’s choice to leave out one of the Premier League’s hottest players sparked a lot of debate.
This season, no English midfielder has scored more league goals than Gibbs-White (15). His brilliant free-kick against Bournemouth on Sunday showed exactly what he could bring to the national team. To put it into perspective, the 26-year-old has twice as many goals and assists in 2026 as other top No 10s like Morgan Rodgers, Jude Bellingham, and Eberechi Eze.
Despite this, Tuchel chose not to include him in the World Cup squad, and many—including Gibbs-White himself—feel it was unfair. After the final whistle on Sunday, Gibbs-White shared how heartbreaking it was to be left out. “I know I’ve done more than enough to be in the squad,” he said. “I guess I didn’t see eye to eye with someone’s opinion. That’s happened before in my career, so I’m ready to bounce back.”
He added, “We had a good chat. I respect him [Tuchel] for calling me and explaining the decision. I agreed with what he said. Now the season’s over, I’m focused on what’s next.”
Some Nottingham Forest fans showed their frustration with Tuchel during the game against Bournemouth, even singing a chant against the England coach.
At a press conference on Friday, Tuchel said leaving Gibbs-White out was a tough call. He explained that taking five No 10s who might not even play in their usual spots didn’t make sense. “We had to pick a squad we really trust and believe in,” he said. “It’s about who sets the standards and forms the leadership team.”
Tuchel also said, “The best team isn’t always the 26 most talented players. But I promise fans we have 26 players who are 100% committed, know their roles, and care about team spirit and being unselfish.”
According to a report by The Athletic, Gibbs-White wasn’t expecting to make the squad. Sources close to him said he hasn’t had many chances when called up by Tuchel, and little contact lately made it seem like his spot was unlikely.