Thomas Tuchel said on Friday he is not afraid to leave «extraordinary talents» out of England’s World Cup squad, boldly stating his aim is to win the tournament.
The German coach left out a host of big names for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Harry Maguire, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White and Luke Shaw are others overlooked as Gareth Southgate’s successor made an eye-catching selection.
England are among the favorites to win the tournament, 60 years after winning their only major international trophy.
English selection analysis | Maguire, Foden, Palmer and a few other names are missing when Tuchel puts his foot down
Tuchel said the composition of his squad was more important than choosing star names.
«From day one we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which does not necessarily mean selecting the best 26 most talented players,» Tuchel said at a press conference at Wembley.
“Teams win championships, it’s that simple.”
The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss admitted he had had to make painful decisions but said he had “no fear” about his choices.
“It was a given that out of these 55 players (in the provisional squad), we have to leave some extraordinary talents and extraordinary personalities at home,” he said.
England selection for the World Cup
The 52-year-old added: «I like these kinds of decisions, even though it took us weeks and sometimes months to verify the decisions. I think they bring clarity, I think in the end they provide a certain edge that is needed.»
‘Brotherhood’
Tuchel, appointed with a mandate to win the World Cup, said he wanted to create a ‘brotherhood’ and believes England have world-class players who can make a difference.
“The goal is to try to win it and not be shy about it, and then just respect the game and the opponents and the amount and the obstacles that the tournament itself presents,” he said.
Tuchel added: “I recently heard a quote from Rafael Nadal who said: ‘I am not a winner, I am a competitor, I am a challenger’.
«That’s basically how I arrive in the U.S. for this tournament. I’m hungry, I arrive hungry, I arrive excited, and I arrive as a competitor and as a challenger.»
«And I think that’s the role for us as a team. That’s how I want the team to play, this is how I want the team to develop. This is why we chose that team. That’s why I’m so confident we chose the right team.»
Published on May 22, 2026
