Thomas Tuchel named England’s final 26-man World Cup squad on May 22, 2026 — and immediately sparked controversy. Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Harry Maguire were all left out. Surprise inclusion: Ivan Toney, who scored 32 goals in the Saudi Pro League. Harry Kane leads the attack at his fourth World Cup. England went through qualifying in extraordinary fashion: 8 wins from 8, 22 goals scored, zero conceded.
Full squad (26 players)
| Position | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Jordan Pickford | Everton |
| GK | Dean Henderson | Crystal Palace |
| GK | James Trafford | Manchester City |
| DEF | John Stones | Manchester City |
| DEF | Marc Guéhi | Manchester City |
| DEF | Ezri Konsa | Aston Villa |
| DEF | Jarell Quansah | Bayer Leverkusen |
| DEF | Dan Burn | Newcastle |
| DEF | Reece James | Chelsea |
| DEF | Tino Livramento | Newcastle |
| DEF | Djed Spence | Tottenham |
| DEF | Nico O’Reilly | Manchester City |
| MID | Declan Rice | Arsenal |
| MID | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid |
| MID | Kobbie Mainoo | Manchester United |
| MID | Jordan Henderson | Brentford |
| MID | Eberechi Eze | Arsenal |
| MID | Elliot Anderson | Nottingham Forest |
| MID | Morgan Rogers | Aston Villa |
| FWD | Harry Kane (cap.) | Bayern Munich |
| FWD | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal |
| FWD | Marcus Rashford | Barcelona |
| FWD | Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa |
| FWD | Ivan Toney | Al-Ahli |
| FWD | Noni Madueke | Arsenal |
| FWD | Anthony Gordon | Newcastle |
Key facts
Manager: Thomas Tuchel. Captain: Harry Kane.
Notable absences: Cole Palmer (injuries, inconsistent season), Phil Foden (poor form), Harry Maguire, Trippier, Grealish.
Surprise: Ivan Toney — 32 Saudi Pro League goals; Tuchel values his physicality and aerial threat.
Kane: chasing his own record
Harry Kane is England’s all-time leading scorer with 78 goals in 112+ caps. This season at Bayern Munich he scored 58 goals across all competitions and won the European Golden Shoe. He arrives at the World Cup in the best club form of his career.
If England reach the final (7 matches) and Kane scores at his recent rate, he could push past 80+ international goals. He consistently features in the top 3 of the Golden Boot market (~7.00).
Tuchel’s tactics: England after Southgate
Tuchel is a fundamentally different manager from Gareth Southgate — less cautious, with a clearer positional identity. Base shape: 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3. Declan Rice anchors the midfield. Bellingham operates as the number 10 behind Kane.
However, reports suggest Tuchel hasn’t been particularly keen on Bellingham in his system — which may surprise those expecting him to be automatic. Saka on the right, Rashford or Gordon on the left are more stable selections.
In qualifying, Tuchel alternated between a high press and a compact mid-block depending on the opponent. This makes England more tactically unpredictable than under Southgate.
Group L: Croatia as the key test
| Match | Context |
|---|---|
| England vs Croatia | Key test: 2018 WC semi-final, Euro 2020 group stage |
| England vs Ghana | Expected win |
| Other match | Depends on full group draw |
Croatia with Modrić — historically difficult for England. 2018 WC semi-final lost in extra time. Croatia now less powerful than before, but Modrić and company know how to manage games. The balance between aggression and control is Tuchel’s key challenge in that match.
Can England win the World Cup?
Case for: unprecedented qualifying run (8/8, 0 conceded); Kane in the form of his life; Tuchel adds tactical variety Southgate lacked; deep attacking squad.
Case against: losing Palmer and Foden reduces creativity; Bellingham still finding his best role in Tuchel’s system; ~7.50 odds — third favourite behind Spain and France — reflects a real quality gap with the top two.
Summary
Tuchel named a squad built around physicality and discipline — the absence of Palmer and Foden confirms that. Kane heads into the tournament in historic form. Bellingham is the big question mark: will he be central to Tuchel’s system or limited to a secondary role? Group L with Croatia will provide the first real answer about this team’s readiness.
