England World Cup Squad Verdict

Thomas Tuchel announced his England squad for the 2026 World Cup yesterday with the tournament kicking off in three weeks time.

John Stones, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane are back in the squad after missing the last international break due to injury, and there are recalls for Reece James, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney.

Let's see what I think of the squad:

In terms of the players that have been recalled, the recall I'm most surprised with has to be Ivan Toney because I wasn't expecting him to be recalled due to him playing in Saudi Arabia. He has been banging in the goals since he's been in Saudi, but I still didn't expect him to be recalled because the Saudi Pro League is not as strong as the Premier League. I can however understand why he has been included because of his penalty record and if England qualify for the knockout stages and are taken to penalties, Toney will be someone Tuchel can bring off the bench to take one in the shootout.

Reece James was probably expecting to be recalled because he's been England's first choice right back since Thomas Tuchel took over and only missed the last international break due to injury. There will be questions marks over his fitness after just returning from a lay off but I'm still expecting him to be England's starting back back.

Ollie Watkins 100% deserves his recall because he's been in fine form for Aston Villa recently. He might not have had his most consistent season for Villa this season, but he has still managed 14 Premier League goals which marks another decent season for him and his end of season form was enough for him to earn a recall.

In terms of the rest of the squad, I'm very surprised that Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence and Noni Madueke were all included because I didn't think any of them would be included.

Dan Burn has been in every squad since Thomas Tuchel took over and I can see why he's been included because of this. But I still didn't think he would be in the squad because he hasn't had an outstanding season with Newcastle and I was expecting Harry Maguire to be in ahead of him.

I didn't think Jarell Quansah would be included because I thought that England had enough centre backs in the squad. He has had a pretty good debut season at Bayer Leverkusen, but I still didn't think he would be included.

The inclusions of both Djed Spence and Noni Madueke surprised me because I don't think they've done enough to be in the squad. Madueke has impressed off the bench at times for Arsenal this season, but his end product hasn't been there whereas Spence hasn't played well enough to earn a place in the squad.

Harry Maguire, Lewis Hall, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White and Jarrod Bowen were the names I was very surprised to see left out because I was expecting all of them to be included.

Maguire was recalled to the squad back in March and I was expecting him to keep his place because of the season he's had for Man United and the experience he's had with England at major tournaments.

I thought Hall would be in the squad because of England's lack of out and out left backs and the recent form he's been in for Newcastle this season.

Wharton's omission is understandable because England have Kobbie Mainoo to back up both Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in the midfield alongside Jordan Henderson. But I'm still surprised he didn't make the cut because he's had another good season with Crystal Palace and I was very much expecting him to be in that squad.

Gibbs-White is one who was the most unlucky not to be included because of the brilliant form he's been in for Nottingham Forest this season and especially since the turn of the year. He's been involved with more goals than any other player since the turn of the year and for him to be left out of the World Cup squad was very unlucky.

Bowen has been playing in a struggling West Ham team this season, but I still thought he would be in the squad because he's had another good season with West Ham despite their struggles on the pitch, and is arguably England's best right winger after Bukayo Saka.

I wasn't at all surprised that Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer were left out because they haven't been in good form and haven't had their best season for their clubs.

FULL ENGLAND SQUAD:

GOALKEEPERS: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City)

DEFENDERS: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Man City), John Stones (Man City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham)

MIDFIELDERS: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man United), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid). Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)

FORWARDS: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli)