Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Hungary
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
United Arab Emirates

England squad confirmed: Thomas Tuchel's winners and losers as Marcus Rashford, Myles Lewis-Skelly decisions revealed

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 March 2025, 09:00
England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his first squad for March's World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

The former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss revealed a 26-player selection for the visits of Albania (March 21) and Latvia (March 24) to Wembley, with old faces and new blood included in equal measure.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the winners and losers from Tuchel's first England selection.

England winners: Marcus Rashford, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jordan Henderson

The standout name in Tuchel's inaugural selection is undoubtedly Marcus Rashford, who has been recalled to the England camp after reigniting his career on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United.

The 27-year-old has set up four goals in nine appearances for Unai Emery's side and is set to represent his country for the first time since March 2024, having not made the cut for last year's European Championships.

At the other end of the experience scale, Arsenal 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly has earned his first senior call-up before even playing for the Under-21s after unexpectedly becoming the Gunners' first-choice left-back this season.

Lewis-Skelly has benefitted from the absences of Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall due to injury, while Reece James, Jarell Quansah, Kyle Walker and Dan Burn - receiving his first call-up - are also in Tuchel's defensive ranks.

Further forward, Tuchel has thrown in a shock selection in the shape of 34-year-old Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, who is back in the Three Lions' squad for the first time since November 2023.

The former Liverpool and Al-Ettifaq man has set up six goals in 38 appearances for Ajax this season, often wearing the captain's armband for the Amsterdam giants and helping them reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

Tuchel has also included four goalkeepers in his first squad, meaning that there is a spot for Burnley's James Trafford, who has kept an astounding 25 clean sheets in 36 Championship games this season, conceding a mere 11 goals.

England losers: Jack Grealish, Ethan Nwaneri, Morgan Gibbs-White

While Trafford joins Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson and Jordan Pickford in the goalkeeping troupe, Newcastle's Nick Pope misses out following his recent recovery from injury.

However, the bulk of the big names missing out lie in the final third, as Manchester City's Jack Grealish is not included, despite impressing under Lee Carsley during last year's UEFA Nations League.

Grealish has started just six Premier League games and four Champions League matches for Pep Guardiola's side in the 2024-25 season, and he is one of a few notable attackers to be overlooked by the England boss.

There is also no space in the ranks for Lewis-Skelly's fellow Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri, who has enjoyed a similar rise to prominence this season, although the 17-year-old is expected to earn his maiden call-up for the Under-21s instead.

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is a shock omission at a first glance, but the striker was substituted with an injury against Club Brugge in the Champions League in midweek, which could explain his absence.

However, Nottingham Forest duo Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi have also not done enough to be included in Tuchel's first squad, despite spearheading the Tricky Trees' unexpected charge for Champions League football this season.

Adam Wharton, James Maddison, Djed Spence and Conor Gallagher are also omitted from the German's squad, as is Arsenal defender Ben White, who has only just returned from injury but has also been in a self-imposed exile from the England squad.

Thomas Tuchel's first England squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)

Written by

Ben Knapton

Show more

Top News

22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Battling for a place in League B of the UEFA Nations League, Georgia are set to host Armenia at the Boris Paichadze Stadium for the second leg of their playoff on Sunday. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly been alerted to the possibility of signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in a cut-price deal. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has become the latest Arsenal player to withdraw from his national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil will be forced to contend with numerous absentees against Argentina following their 2-1 victory against Colombia on Friday morning. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel hasn't been shy in calling out Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford's displays from England's 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will face Chelsea Women in the third of four consecutive head-to-head matches in Sunday's clash at the Etihad Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly was the star of the show on his England debut as his goal helped new boss Thomas Tuchel get off to a winning start. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arne Slot could lose a number of forwards in the summer transfer window but may also be boosted by the arrival of additions, Reds transfer expert David Lynch has claimed. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Thomas Tuchel started his England tenure with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Albania in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Turkey will hope to maintain their first-leg lead and advance into League A of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday when they travel to Puskas Arena to take on Hungary. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly created England history by becoming the youngest player to score on their senior debut for the national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Canada can earn their second medal at the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday when they take on the USA at SoFi Stadium in California. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly wrote a new page of Three Lions history with his opening goal in Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City Women will continue their Women's Super League survival bid when they face Brighton & Hove Albion Women in Sunday's clash at the King Power Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Jude Bellingham has moved ahead of Wayne Rooney in the England record books by earning his latest cap against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Iceland and Kosovo will complete their UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff tie on Sunday, when they meet at the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Spain. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven could reportedly resume training with the Red Devils shortly after the international break, with the issue that he suffered against Leicester City last weekend not believed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pau Cubarsi has returned to Barcelona after suffering an ankle injury in Spain's UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg against Netherlands on Thursday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League clash. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his first starting lineup as Three Lions boss for Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly given Arsenal a major boost with his knee injury not claimed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is reportedly set to hold 'crunch talks' with the Reds hierarchy over his future at the end of the season. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com England made a winning start to life under Thomas Tuchel on Friday night as they beat Albania 2-0 at Wembley. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea's first opponents at this summer's Club World Cup have been expelled from the competition, FIFA has announced. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly learned how long Riccardo Calafiori will be out for with a knee injury following the defender's withdrawal from the Italy squad. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has been told that Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma has the quality to play for Manchester United. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have confirmed that Alisson Becker has pulled out of the Brazil squad after the goalkeeper suffered a worrying injury scare against Colombia. 21 March 2025 talksport.com There were huge smiles at Wembley commentary with Stuart Pearce returning to action after his heart scare.