Predicting an England World Cup squad was once a relatively straightforward business.
True, there has been the odd curveball. Few would have imagined Steve Bull, a striker with second-tier Wolves, making the Italia 90 squad ahead of Arsenal’s Alan Smith, let alone a 16-year-old Theo Walcott travelling to Germany as part of Sven-Göran Eriksson’s squad in 2006. For the most part, though, England managers have gone with a tried and trusted core of top-flight performers drawn from the country’s top clubs.
That, though, was before Thomas Tuchel was appointed on an 18-month contract with a brief to win next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The arrival of the 52-year-old German at St George’s Park has ushered in a new age of pragmatism. Freezing out a world-class player in order to maintain team harmony? Not a problem, when you’re just passing through. Developing young talent with one eye on the future? Why bother, when you know you’ll be gone after a year and a half? All that matters is the here and now,
It has undeniably made for a fascinating dynamic. Rather trying to shoehorn in the biggest names and biggest egos, Tuchel has placed the emphasis on the collective. In the process, he has ruffled feathers and polished diamonds in roughly equal measure, establishing an England pecking order that looks quite different to what many probably expected when his reign began in January.
Tuchel has made it clear that no one is guaranteed selection, and so far he has been as good as his word. He has kept faith with the group that ignited his reign with a 5-0 win against Serbia in Belgrade, and is successfully cultivating a club atmosphere in the England camp. If he continues in that vein, some big names will miss out next summer. But who?
In the rankings that follow, we look at who’s currently in pole position for a place in Tuchel’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system, who looks likely to make the squad, and who could miss out all together. The rankings, based on Tuchel’s selection decisions, will be updated regularly as next summer’s tournament approaches.
THOMAS TUCHEL’S CURRENT ENGLAND FIRST XI
GOALKEEPER
1) Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Pickford has played in all but one of Tuchel’s seven games in charge of England; his sole absence, against Senegal in June, coincided with the first and only defeat of the German’s managerial reign. Last week’s 2-0 win over Wales marked the Everton man’s eighth consecutive clean sheet for England, eclipsing a record previously held by Gordon Banks, while only Peter Shilton, with 125 caps to Pickford’s 79, has featured more often between the sticks. The 31-year-old’s focus, composure and concentration have all improved with age, while his useful habit of saving penalties is tailor-made for tournament football. The gloves are his.
Fresh from making eight clean sheets in a row for England, @JPickford1 acknowledges the collective effort ✊ pic.twitter.com/lgeCnbXEha
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
DEFENDERS
2) Reece James (Chelsea)
Assuming he can steer clear of injury, James is in pole position to occupy the right-back berth next summer. Tuchel, who worked with him at Chelsea, has lavished praise on the 25-year-old’s defensive prowess and ability on the ball, although his withdrawal from the most recent squad has done little to dampen concerns about his susceptibility to injury. Comfortable anywhere across the back-line, the Chelsea captain’s versatility and leadership would offer England obvious benefits, and he will be desperate not to miss out on a second consecutive World Cup.
A beauty of a first #ThreeLions goal ✨
Last time out against Latvia by @ReeceJames! pic.twitter.com/FvNFQn1Yb4
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
3) John Stones (Manchester City)
Patience has been the watchword for Tuchel where Stones is concerned. A combination of injury and club commitments has delayed the Manchester City centre-back’s first international appearance under the German. But with the 31-year-old back in the England fold for the first time under his stewardship, Tuchel wasted no time in restoring him to the starting lineup against Wales, where Stones rekindled the defensive partnership with Marc Guéhi that underpinned England’s run to the Euro 2024 final. Injury remains an ever-present concern for a player whose wretched run of physical setbacks had him contemplating retirement last season, yet Stones has bucked that trend for England and has been available for the past six major tournaments. Tuchel will be hoping that run continues.
4) Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace)
As Chelsea manager, Tuchel sold Guéhi to Crystal Palace; as England manager, the German has found the 25-year-old indispensable. In a team set up to dominate, Guéhi is comfortable in possession and rarely gives the ball away. He made 84% of his 1,741 passes in the Premier League last season, and combines speed and strength with a tactical versatility that enables him to play on either side of a central defensive pairing in a back four, or in a back three, as he does for Palace. Guéhi’s attitude has particularly impressed Tuchel, who made much of the defender’s professionalism in the aftermath of his failed move to Liverpool this summer. A shoo-in for England’s starting XI.
5) Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
If Lewis-Skelly wants to start for England, the challenge facing the 19-year-old is clear: displace Italy international Riccardo Calafiori as Arsenal’s first-choice left-back. There is no shortage of admiration for the teenager on Tuchel’s part. All five of Lewis-Skelly’s caps to date have come under the German, who has praised his quality, training and attitude. The defender scored against Albania on his international debut in March, and was hailed afterwards as “fearless” by Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice. The risk is that none of that will matter if he doesn’t get more playing time at the Emirates – although it should also be noted that he is only the left-footed full-back to have played under Tuchel.
MIDFIELDERS
6) Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
There are those who believe Anderson, who has started England’s past three games, has already cemented his place in Tuchel’s starting line-up next summer. While the humble 22-year-old is not among them, he has formed an undeniably effective midfield partnership with Declan Rice in his three caps so far, his diligence and discipline in the No 6 role freeing the Arsenal man to contribute higher up the pitch. No player has completed more passes or won possession more often in the Premier League this season, and while he may yet make way for a bigger name, Anderson’s lack of ego and willingness to do a job for the team are highly valued by Tuchel.
An honour to make my @England debut! 🦁🏴 pic.twitter.com/CP6HOGErkW
— Elliot Anderson (@elljanderson) September 6, 2025
7) Declan Rice (Arsenal)
The key cog in England’s midfield wheel, Rice is a guaranteed starter next summer. Discussion of the 26-year-old’s most effective position feels increasingly redundant, for the simple reason that he can do it all, from sensing danger and breaking up opposition attacks to driving forward and scoring goals, as he did against Andorra at Villa Park last month. “I think now I’m a bit more of a box-to-box No 8,” Rice said after England’s recent 3-0 friendly win over Wales. “The manager has adjusted my position at Arsenal a bit this year, given me a bit more freedom to drop deeper but also get in the box when I can, and it’s the same with Thomas. I think that really suits me.” The presence of Anderson has granted Rice that licence.
ATTACKERS
8) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
For all the debate over if and where England should deploy absent trio Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, Saka’s claim to a place on the right side of the attacking trident in Tuchel’s 4-2-3-1 system remains relatively uncontentious. After banging home a lovely curled strike against Wales, the 24-year-old has 13 goals to show from 45 England appearances, eclipsing Cliff Bastin as Arsenal’s most prolific goalscorer for the Three Lions. Saka’s work-rate and attacking dynamism are a perfect fit for Tuchel’s brand of football.
9) Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Dubbed the new Paul Gascoigne after England’s 5-0 win in Serbia last month, Rogers could have been forgiven for retreating into his shell. Instead, the attacking midfielder underlined his growing importance by scoring his first international goal, against Wales. Rogers has now been involved in all seven of Tuchel’s England games, starting four of them, and together with Anderson has been the prime beneficiary of the German’s emphasis on the collective over the individual. Bellingham may well be England’s finest creative force, but Tuchel says he is interested in building a team rather than “collecting the most talented players”. By that logic, Rogers leads the race for the No 10 spot.
10) Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Another beneficiary of Tuchel’s decision to keep faith with the players selected for the September camp, Gordon has started three of England’s past four matches. The 24-year-old offers pace and width down the left wing and, while Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish both merit consideration based on club form, Gordon is currently in pole position. Again, much will depend on whether possession really is nine-tenths of the law in the age of Tuchel.
What a moment for that young man!
Anthony Gordon scores his first England goal and makes it look so casual 🔥#ITVFootball | #ENGIRL pic.twitter.com/vpxvnSFjYZ
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 17, 2024
11) Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
The Three Lions’ captain, talisman and record goal-scorer, Kane is the first name on any England manager’s teamsheet. The 32-year-old has found the net 74 times in 109 games for his country – 18 more than the rest of the current squad put together – and already has 19 goals in a dozen games for Bayern Munich this season. Numbers like that might go to the head of a lesser individual. But Kane also works tirelessly for the greater good and brings vision and creativity to the team. Simply indispensable.
IN THE SQUAD
12) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Henderson has been a mainstay of Oliver Glasner’s impressive Crystal Palace side. The 28-year-old produced a defining performance in May’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, saving a penalty to help Palace win the first major trophy in their history, and kept out two more in the climactic Community Shield shootout against Liverpool in August. His sole appearance under Tuchel did not end happily, Henderson shipping three goals as England lost to Senegal at the City Ground this summer, but the former Manchester United trainee has shown himself to be a man for the big occasion and is an able understudy to Pickford.
13) James Trafford (Manchester City)
While Trafford retained his place in the England squad to face Wales and Latvia. However, his summer return to Manchester City from Burnley, where he kept a record-equalling 30 clean sheets in last season’s Championship promotion run, has backfired following the club’s acquisition of Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma. Given Tuchel’s preference for players performing consistently at club level, warming the bench at the Etihad will do nothing for Trafford’s England prospects, and could open the door for Nick Pope or Aaron Ramsdale of Newcastle.
14) Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
Konsa has featured in all four of Tuchel’s squads, starting on five occasions, and is the man most likely to play alongside Guéhi at centre-back next summer if Stones fails to make it. Strong, quick and comfortable on the ball, Konsa can also play at right-back, as he did most recently against Wales at Wembley.
15) Dan Burn (Newcastle)
At 33, Burn’s first international call-up in March came out of left-field, but the 6ft 7in centre-back is an imposing and dependable figure who has done yeoman’s service for Newcastle. Burn will never be the quickest, and his performances against Andorra and Senegal this summer exposed the limitations of his distribution. But he can play anywhere across the back four and brings consistency and versatility to Tuchel’s squad.
16) Tino Livramento (Newcastle)
The right-footed Livramento has twice been ushered into service at left-back by Tuchel, and his ability to do a job in what is something of a problem position for England counts strongly in his favour. That the 22-year-old can also provide cover for James on the right should be enough to secure a place in Tuchel’s squad.
17) Djed Spence (Tottenham)
See above. Like Livramento, Spence is a right-back who can also operate on the left flank, as he did in the Wales friendly. The 25-year-old’s place will depend largely on whether Tuchel includes Trent Alexander-Arnold or Kyle Walker in the squad, but his ability to play on either side of the back four counts strongly in his favour.
An impressive display on his first start for the #ThreeLions
Djed Spence 💫 pic.twitter.com/prFgTf2nPR
— England (@England) October 11, 2025
18) Jordan Henderson (Brentford)
As Tuchel has made clear, the former Liverpool captain is Anderson’s understudy as things stand. Much has been made of his friendship with Jude Bellingham but, given the uncertainty surrounding the Real Madrid playmaker’s place in the German’s plans, the principal focus should be on what Henderson brings to the team – which, even at the age of 35, is plenty. As his performances for Brentford this season have demonstrated, Henderson’s eye for a pass, work rate and competitive appetite remain undimmed. A team player devoid of ego, his ability and experience are highly prized by Tuchel, and rightly so.
19) Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)
Consistency is key for the 27-year-old. Tuchel has all but raved about Rashford’s ability, describing his potential as limitless. At the same time, the German has made plain his view that the attacker’s numbers – 18 goals in 65 caps – fall short of his ability. “He can be one of the best in the world,” Tuchel said ahead of England’s October meeting with Latvia. “He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air, so where are the limits?” The German insists Rashford’s value to England will be measured in the hard currency of goals and assists, but only eight players have accrued more minutes on his watch. Tuchel has been consistent in selecting the forward; it is up to Rashford to repay that faith with more end product. Even so, it is hard to imagine a player who could also deputise for Kane as a central striker being overlooked next summer.
20) Noni Madueke (Arsenal)
If the battle for a place on the left side of attack is likely to be played out between Gordon and Rashford, Madueke could be the player vying with Saka for a spot on the right. While the 23-year-old was omitted from the October squad due to a knee injury, Tuchel hinted that he would have received the nod ahead of Arsenal team-mate Saka had he been fit. Madueke has played a similar number of minutes to Rashford under the German, but is likely to face fierce competition from Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer for a place in the squad.
21) Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
And so to the elephant in the room. Will he or won’t he? Tuchel’s reservations about Bellingham’s attitude are as well documented as his admiration for the ability of the 22-year-old playmaker, whom he has described as “one of the best players in the world”. The consensus among seasoned England observers is that Bellingham will be readmitted to the fold, but readmission is not the same as rehabilitation. Much will now depend on how deep the scars run following Tuchel’s observation that his mother found the attacker’s behaviour “repulsive”; the implied criticism that England should be a team, not a star vehicle; the omission of Bellingham from the squad to face Wales and Latvia; the suggestion that he will stay loyal to the players currently at his disposal. Is it possible Bellingham could be left out? There are precedents. Jimmy Greaves, England’s best striker, watched from the bench as Alf Ramsey’s side lifted the World Cup in 1966. Paul Gascoigne was omitted from Glenn Hoddle’s squad in 1998, albeit for very different reasons. And as mentioned at the outset, Tuchel’s stewardship will not extend beyond next summer, so he would not have to deal with the long-term repercussions of excluding Bellingham. It is wild to imagine England jetting off next summer without one of the country’s finest players. But Tuchel is an intelligent man and, if he is not in earnest about keeping faith with the current collective, it is hard to see what purpose Bellingham’s exclusion serves. Alienating the player now will only make it harder to bring him back into the fold further down the line; unless, of course, Tuchel has already made up his mind.
22) Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
For a country not blessed with an abundance of options at centre-forward, Watkins is the obvious choice as back-up for Kane. The Aston Villa man deputised for the injured England captain against Wales, and made his mark by claiming a sixth goal in 20 international appearances before he was withdrawn at the interval following a painful collision with a post. A consistent performer at club level, Watkins is all but guaranteed a ticket to North America.
23) Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Having missed out on the Qatar World Cup, the 28-year-old will be determined to ensure history does not repeat itself. His prospects look encouraging. Named in Tuchel’s first squad in March, Bowen started on the right in a 3-0 win over Latvia at Wembley and, while he was hooked after an hour after struggling to make an impression, he remains a valued squad member.
ON THE FRINGES
24) Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
If the players named above are in pole position for a ticket to the finals, Eze perhaps has the best chance of playing himself into contention. Much will depend on how the 27-year-old performs for Arsenal, but Tuchel is a confirmed admirer, and has implied he will find a place for the forward. But where? Eze’s ability to play on either side of England’s attacking trident or even as a No 10 could prove a trump card, particularly if any of those currently ahead of him succumb to injury.
25) Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
It seems unthinkable Palmer could miss out and, as with Eze, the Chelsea man’s versatility may yet secure him a place in the squad. The 23-year-old forward, arguably the most compelling alternative to Rogers and Bellingham at No 10, has shown he can be effective in any of the forward positions and is more than capable of making the case for his inclusion unanswerable. First, though, he will need to overcome the groin injury that has curtailed his start to the season, and which Tuchel fears could become chronic if not properly addressed.
26) Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Again, can England really afford to go to a World Cup without one of the country’s most outstanding attacking talents? Tuchel’s insistence that he will not attempt to shoehorn big names into his squad at the expense of collective cohesion suggests it is a very real possibility.
27) Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
Another player for whom adaptability is a plus, Jones is perhaps the man most likely to step into the middle of the park should injury strike. The 24-year-old Liverpool man can operate as a No 6, a No 8, a right-back or in an advanced attacking midfield role.
1982 – Curtis Jones is the first Liverpool player to score on his England debut since Sammy Lee back in November 1982, also in an away game against Greece. Flick. pic.twitter.com/lqL9XsrKGm
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 14, 2024
28) Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Often likened to Paul Scholes and reportedly the subject of strong interest from Manchester United, the Crystal Palace midfielder could count himself deeply unfortunate to miss out on a World Cup place. An ill-timed injury forced him to withdraw from the September internationals, and Tuchel has acknowledged his admiration for the player, but for the moment he appears to be some way down the pecking order.
29) Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan)
Recalled to the England squad in September, the 29-year-old has evidently made an impression on Tuchel, but the most recent of his 10 caps came in November 2018. It would take an extraordinary club season or a catastrophic series of injuries for him to travel to North America next year.
30) Jack Grealish (Everton)
But for Tuchel’s desire to keep faith with his September squad, Grealish would surely have been in contention to face Wales and Latvia. The 30-year-old has been revitalised by his loan move to Everton, but not even a goal and four assists in seven games has been enough to put him in the frame ahead of Gordon and Rashford. Could that change if Grealish sustains that form across the season? Perhaps.
31) Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid)
Tuchel has made no secret of his misgivings about Alexander-Arnold’s defensive qualities, and having given him a 26-minute runout against Andorra this summer he has not selected the former Liverpool man since. A difficult start at Real Madrid has not helped and, with the 27-year-old currently injured, time is running out for Alexander-Arnold to allay the manager’s concerns.
32) Kyle Walker (Burnley)
Having won the last of his 96 caps against Albania in March, Walker has not featured since. Tuchel’s admission that he did not call the 35-year-old to explain his omission from the October squad appears to have signalled the end of an era.
33) Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
For a player named in Tuchel’s first squad in March, when he was struggling to get a start for Liverpool, a £30m summer move to Bayer Leverkusen has brought the most precious of commodities: playing time. Quansah has featured in every minute of Leverkusen’s nine games this season, and would be a solid pick for England should injuries force a defensive reshuffle, particularly given that he can also play at full-back.
34) Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea)
This summer’s 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal marked an inauspicious start to the Chelsea centre-back’s international career, and while Tuchel has suggested the 26-year-old was unlucky not to make the September squad, it did not go unnoticed that Quansah was called up ahead of him following Wharton’s withdrawal.
35) Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
After suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season, the prospects of the Chelsea defender adding to his five caps before next summer are slim. At the age of 22, however, time is on Colwill’s side in the longer-term; there will be other World Cups.
