Thomas Tuchel has named his first England squad since the World Cup, and it came with big changes. The Tuchel England squad of 27 players for the Nations League brought back Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer and included two uncapped players, Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott.
“They had a good start to the season,” Tuchel said of the recalls. “Now is a new competition.”
The full Tuchel England squad (named 18 September)
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds) |
| Defenders | Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guéhi (Man City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Man City), Jarell Quansah (Leverkusen) |
| Midfielders | Elliot Anderson (Man City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth) |
| Forwards | Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) |
Late changes: five out, two in
On 21 September, five players withdrew: Palmer (minor injury), Rice, Mainoo, Rashford and Livramento. Tuchel called up James Garner (Everton) and Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest). He said Gibbs-White had been “close to being included in the initial squad.”
Second chances and new faces
Alexander-Arnold returns after more than a year away. Sky Sports’ Peter Smith called it “a massive shift” after Tuchel’s earlier doubts about his defending. Branthwaite also earns a recall.
The new faces are Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool’s 18-year-old winger, and Alex Scott, Bournemouth’s midfielder. Calvert-Lewin was rewarded for a strong start at Leeds.
Sky’s Kaveh Solhekol described the squad as “more balanced” than the World Cup group. Big names still left out include Phil Foden and Adam Wharton, while World Cup squad members Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Noni Madueke dropped out.
The results so far
- England 2-3 Spain (Wembley, 26 September): Lamine Yamal scored after two minutes, and Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane turned it around before half-time. Kane then slipped and hit the bar with a penalty, and Álex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal won it for the world champions.
- Czechia 0-2 England (Prague, 29 September): England bounced back with a first Nations League win of the campaign.
Talking points from Wembley
Tuchel used the Spain game to test his squad, and several selections stood out:
- James Trafford started in goal ahead of Jordan Pickford, England’s first choice for most of the last decade. It suggests the Leeds goalkeeper is now a serious option for the No. 1 shirt.
- Jarell Quansah played right-back, with the recalled Alexander-Arnold on the bench. Tuchel clearly still values defensive solidity in that position.
- Myles Lewis-Skelly started in midfield, not at left-back, where he usually plays for Arsenal. With Rice and Mainoo missing, Tuchel trusted the 19-year-old in a central role.
Spain showed why they’re world champions. Yamal’s goal after two minutes was the third-fastest England have ever conceded at Wembley, and the win extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 39 games.
England had their moments. Their quick-fire comeback through Gordon and Kane showed how dangerous they can be on the counter-attack. But Kane’s missed penalty changed the game, and it’s the kind of moment Tuchel will want to eliminate before Euro 2028.
What’s next
England travel to Croatia in Rijeka on 3 October, then host Czechia at Wembley on 6 October. With a home Euro 2028 on the horizon, this is the start of Tuchel’s new cycle.
FAQ
How many players are in Tuchel’s England squad?
27, with Garner and Gibbs-White replacing five withdrawals.
Who returned to the England squad?
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer (later withdrawn injured) and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Who got their first England call-up?
Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool) and Alex Scott (Bournemouth).
What were England’s results?
They lost 2-3 to Spain at Wembley and won 2-0 in Czechia.
Sources: England Football (FA); Sky Sports; Yahoo Sports; ESPN.
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