NOW that World Cup qualification has been confirmed, the debate turns to who will make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
More specifically, who will NOT be in it, given the embarrassment of riches at the German’s disposal.
With so much talent to choose from, there will be a number of top players left disappointed this summer.
SunSport runs the rule over ten players desperately fighting for a spot on the plane – as well as five wildcard picks who could gatecrash the squad with a stellar campaign.
TEN PLAYERS SCRAPPING FOR A SPOT ON THE PLANE
Jude Bellingham
IT seems mad that arguably England’s most talented player does not seem a shoo-in for the squad – but that underlines the depth in quality Tuchel possesses.
Bellingham being omitted from the most recent squad was a surprise but understandable given his lack of action for Real Madrid following shoulder surgery.
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You would expect him to return next month given Tuchel rates him as one of the best players in the world.
But if the ex-Chelsea boss leaves him out again, then alarm bells really will be ringing for the 22-year-old.
Phil Foden
SEEMS in a more perilous state compared to Bellingham because Foden has been playing well for Manchester City of late, and still could not earn a recall.
The PFA Player of the Year in 2024 started wide right in Tuchel’s first game in charge – March’s 2-0 win over Albania – but was criticised by the German in the press conference afterwards for his lack of impact, as was Marcus Rashford.
He was left out of the September and October squads and with Tuchel wanting to create the best team, not just a collection of the best players, looks vulnerable.
Cole Palmer
CHELSEA’S ingenious playmaker has proved he is the man for the big occasion, coming off the bench to score England’s leveller in the Euro 2024 final against Spain.
But with so much competition at No10 – not least from old pal Morgan Rogers, the man currently in possession of the shirt – his spot is by no means guaranteed.
First, he must get over a nagging groin injury.
Morgan Gibbs-White
A FAVOURITE of Tuchel’s interim predecessor Lee Carsley, Gibbs-White has had to settle for cameos under the current boss.
Encouragingly, he has made four appearances for Tuchel – but all off the bench.
The fear for the Nottingham Forest man is he is on the periphery now, when big-hitters Foden, Bellingham and Palmer are not fully firing. What happens when they are?
Jack Grealish
LOOKS revitalised at Everton under David Moyes after falling out of Pep Guardiola’s favour at Manchester City.
Yet his impressive early-season stats of one goal and four assists in the Premier League have not been enough to convince Tuchel of bringing him back in.
The current England boss seems to favour pacier players out wide left in Anthony Gordon and Rashford, leaving Grealish’s chances looking slim.
Adam Wharton
DUBBED ‘the future of the England team’ by Michael Owen and shining for Crystal Palace this season, Wharton was surprisingly overlooked for Tuchel’s latest camp.
Wharton has been tipped to play for some of the biggest clubs in the world and just this weekend Eagles chairman Steve Parish said the midfielder will want to be in the Champions League sooner or later.
Yet Tuchel saw fit to pick Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson over him this month, so clearly needs more persuading.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
MADE his first England appearance in almost seven years when coming off the bench against Wales last week.
RLC admitted afterwards that he had given up expecting to play for his country during that time in the wilderness, but also that he is now dreaming of a World Cup spot.
He will have plenty of contenders including Wharton and Curtis Jones, but being part of the last two camps which have so impressed Tuchel puts him in a commanding position.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
GARETH SOUTHGATE never seemed quite sold on Trent, at right-back at least.
But Tuchel seems even less keen on the Real Madrid playmaker full-back, handing him just one sub appearance against Andorra so far.
Reece James appears to be Tuchel’s guy right now, although the Chelsea man’s injury record means you can never hang your hat on his availability.
Still, Alexander-Arnold looks to have a lot of work to do – and needs to get fit himself.
Lewis Hall
YET to be capped by Tuchel and has been struggling with fitness issues at Newcastle.
But when the 21-year-old is feeling physically up to speed, he is arguably our best natural left-footed left-back.
And with that being the position in Tuchel’s squad that has the most question marks hanging over it, a formidable campaign for Eddie Howe’s Toon could tip the balance.
Djed Spence
IN a great position right now having started against Wales AND Latvia – one at left-back and the other at right-back.
That versatility is a huge plus for the Tottenham defender who has improved astronomically in the last year or so and seems to have left the attitude issues he was accused of having as a youngster firmly in the past.
Spence’s biggest obstacle may well be Tino Livramento, though.
The Newcastle man is currently injured but provided he is fit, will probably be Tuchel’s starting left-back and can offer the squad that flexibility in being able to play right-back too.
Five wildcards who could gatecrash the squad:
Ben White
THE right-back wants to return having been in self-imposed exile during Southgate’s tenure.
Tuchel has held talks about bringing him back into the fold, but will surely need to play more regularly at Arsenal first.
Luke Shaw
TUCHEL said of Shaw back in August: “He has the quality, the experience to play for us and to make us better straight away.”
It underlined just how highly he rates the Manchester United left-back, but, as ever, fitness unreliability remains the issue with Shaw.
Mason Mount
A FIRM favourite of Tuchel during his time at Chelsea.
In general, Mount has had a nightmare spell at Manchester United since joining them in 2023, largely due to injury.
But there have been signs of the 36-cap star coming back to form and fitness this term. Could Tuchel be tempted?
Dominic Solanke
ANOTHER player who has struggled with injury this season due to an ankle problem picked up in pre-season.
But given England’s lack of options behind Harry Kane, a blistering season for Spurs once he returns would get him back into the reckoning.
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Liam Delap
SAME goes for Chelsea man Delap, for the same reasons.
But given he is out until the new year with a torn hamstring, it would take a Herculean phenomenal effort in the second half of the campaign for him to force his way into the squad.
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