By Peter Omopo
England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his controversial squad selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting he remains fully committed to winning the tournament despite leaving out several high-profile players.
The German coach excluded several established names from his final squad for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton, in one of the most debated selection calls in recent England history.
Speaking at Wembley on Friday, Tuchel said his priority was building a balanced and unified team rather than simply selecting the most technically gifted individuals.
“From day one we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select the best 26 most-talented players,” he said. “Teams win championships, it’s as simple as that.”
He acknowledged that difficult decisions were unavoidable during the selection process, given the depth of talent available.
“It was a given that from these 55 players, we have to leave some extraordinary talents and extraordinary personalities at home,” Tuchel said. “I like these kind of decisions, even if it took us weeks and sometimes months to verify the decisions.”
Tuchel added that the final squad was shaped by the need for clarity, structure and competitive edge as England chase their first World Cup title in decades.
“I think they bring clarity, I think they bring a certain edge in the end that is necessary,” he said. “The goal is to try to win it and not be shy about it.”
The squad announcement also generated discussion following the inclusion of Ivan Toney, who currently plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, despite limited appearances for England since Euro 2024.
Tuchel said the striker’s profile offered a different attacking dimension.
“I think he has very special skills that could help us, especially when we are chasing a result or a goal,” he said. “He can be a very valuable addition to Harry Kane.”
He also highlighted Toney’s aerial strength, physicality and finishing ability as key assets for tournament football.
England will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before group-stage matches against Ghana and Panama.
