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5 England Stars Could Force Tuchel into Final Squad U-Turn
Thomas Tuchel has spent the past year shaping England around a tight, reliable core, keeping selection changes to a minimum.
The England manager has been clear about wanting tactical consistency and familiarity – something that wasn’t always present in previous cycles. As a result, many talented players have found themselves on the fringes, not because they lack the ability, but because Tuchel’s structure relies heavily on cohesion and specific roles.
But tournaments rarely follow predictable scripts. Injuries, momentum swings and sudden spikes in form often reshape squad decisions in the months leading up to a major competition. With the 2026 World Cup approaching quickly, several players who haven’t been regulars – due to fitness issues, club situations or simply the depth of competition – still have time to force their way into Tuchel’s final selection.
Here are five players who aren’t central to England’s plans right now, but who absolutely could still make the World Cup next summer.
1. Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Kobbie Mainoo’s development has slowed this season, largely due to limited minutes under Ruben Amorim. United’s midfield rotation hasn’t helped his rhythm or confidence, and he’s drifted from the “automatic selection” category he seemed destined for a year ago. But Tuchel still rates him highly.
England don’t have many midfielders who can receive under pressure, turn out of tight spaces and progress play with control. Even when Mainoo hasn’t been playing regularly, he’s often remained in Tuchel’s thinking because of how rare his profile is.
A strong run of form in early 2026 – potentially out on loan – could be enough to push him back into contention – and even without that, his ceiling alone keeps him firmly in the conversation.
2. Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea)
Chalobah has the tools Tuchel values in a defender, composure on the ball, tactical discipline, experience in multiple systems – yet hasn’t been part of England’s recent starting structure.
Injuries earlier in the year disrupted his momentum at Chelsea, and England have leaned on Marc Guehi and John Stones as their main pairing. With Tomori out of recent squads and not in Tuchel’s current plans, the door is very much open behind them.
Chalobah is now playing consistently again for Chelsea, and if he stays fit, he becomes a serious late contender. His versatility: centre-back, right centre-back, even defensive midfield in emergencies, makes him especially attractive for tournament football.
3. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Palmer hasn’t been a regular under Tuchel this year for one simple reason: injury. Fitness problems have disrupted his involvement for both club and country, preventing him from building the rhythm that made him one of England’s most exciting attackers.
But when he’s fit, Palmer is undeniably a game-changer. His creativity, press resistance, movement between the lines and coolness in the final third give England something no other attacker quite replicates. In tight tournament games, where one moment of invention can decide a knockout tie, players like Palmer become invaluable.
Tuchel knows his quality. The only question is fitness.
If Palmer returns strong in early 2026, he doesn’t just have a chance to make the squad – he has a chance to become a starter.
4. Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
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Once an England mainstay, Maguire has slipped down the pecking order under Tuchel, but he is far from out of the World Cup picture.
Tuchel has favoured Guéhi and Stones as his preferred pairing, but beyond them, the competition isn’t settled. Tomori hasn’t been in recent squads. Konsa has been in and out. Levi Colwill’s fitness has been inconsistent. That leaves space for someone with Maguire’s experience.
He remains a dominant aerial presence, a vocal organiser and a proven tournament performer. In a young England squad, that leadership still matters, and Tuchel knows it. If England need reliability and experience as backup, United’s £237,000-a-week defender remains a viable pick.
5. Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid)
Gallagher is always on the fringes of England squads, liked by managers, but not always trusted to start. Tuchel’s selections have tended to favour ball-dominant midfielders like Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Adam Wharton, leaving Gallagher fighting for minutes.
But what keeps him in contention is his unmatched energy and defensive output. He presses relentlessly, wins second balls and brings tempo to a midfield that can sometimes look too passive. Gallagher’s ability to shift the intensity of a match makes him a valuable tactical weapon, the kind of player who can change a knockout game simply through work rate and presence.
If the £203,000-a-week star maintains his current form, he has a genuine chance of winning Tuchel over in the final months before the squad is named.
What next?
Tuchel’s England may look settled from the outside, but tournament squads are never as predictable as they seem. Form, fitness and tactical needs can all shift dramatically in the run-up to a World Cup, and these five players sit firmly in that “nearly there” category, not locked in, but far from out of the running.
Mainoo, Chalobah, Palmer, Maguire and Gallagher all have a plausible path back into the squad. For some, it’s about returning to fitness. For others, it’s about rediscovering consistency. And for all of them, one standout run of form between now and May 2026 could be enough to change their international fortunes completely.
The door is open. Now it’s about who steps through it.
Harry Kane wore a different shirt to the rest of his teammates as England defeated Croatia at the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bayern Munich star, who is one of the contenders to win the Ballon d’Or following a tremendous season for his club, was named in the Three Lions’ starting lineup for their opening game of the tournament at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Kane hit the back of the net twice in the first half as the two sides went into the break level at 2-2. Kane was again influential in the second half as goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford gave Thomas Tuchel’s side a 4-2 victory.
The 32-year-old has now scored 10 goals for England at the World Cup, equalling Gary Lineker’s record.
Harry Kane Wears Different Shirt to England Teammates
Kane wore a special patch on his arm during the match against Croatia, and he will continue to don the patch for the remainder of the tournament.
In the 2018 World Cup, he netted six times as England finished fourth. That was enough for him to win the Golden Boot, awarded to the player that scored the most goals in the tournament.
To commemorate that achievement, he was allowed to wear a special golden patch on his sleeve. The patch, located just below the FIFA World Cup logo, is a golden boot with the year ‘2018’ on it.
Only players that have won the Golden Boot at previous World Cup tournaments are permitted to wear the patch.
That means only two other players in this year’s tournament are wearing the patch. They are Colombia’s James Rodriguez, who won the Golden Boot in 2014, and France star Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight goals in the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Kane, Rodriguez and Mbappe will continue to wear the sleeve patch for the remainder of the competition.
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England World Cup Quiz
You scored
out of 20
Harry Kane Gives Thoughts After Croatia Victory
Kane revealed Tuchel’s speech at half-time and praised his side for pulling off a great result. He said, per the Guardian:
“He [Tuchel] told us to take the shackles off, calm down and let’s go. He said what’s the worst that can happen? Show the world who we can be.
“We came out in the second half full gas and they couldn’t live with it, and that’s the level we have to set in every game. The way we controlled the game once we went ahead, we never really looked like we were in danger and then scored on the counterattack.
“We had a spell where we could have scored three or four. Credit to everyone: the first game of the tournament and a great result against a tough side.”
England and Kane return to action on Tuesday, June 23 when they take on Ghana in Boston. A victory will see the Three Lions qualify for the knockout rounds of the competition.
Among the many exciting moments scattered throughout UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Ciryl Gane taking on Alex Pereira certainly ranked high.
Poatan made the jump up to heavyweight, taking on Gane, who was coming off the back of a controversial bout against Tom Aspinall. The chance to become a three-weight world champion and further etch himself in the history books was up for grabs for the Brazilian. However, the step-up seemed one too many as the Frenchman made it look easy on his way to becoming the interim UFC heavyweight champion.
It’s the third time Pereira has tasted defeat during his tenure with the UFC. Interestingly, all three have come in different weight classes, with Israel Adesanya, Magomed Ankalaev, and now Gane all finding a way to solve the Poatan puzzle. With defeat comes adversity, and it seems like his initial handling of the situation resonated with another UFC star.
During the fight, Poatan didn’t seem as mobile and couldn’t find his rhythm. Perhaps making such a drastic jump in weight hurt his speed, while the power also may not have translated. Gane was controlling the fight from the outside, with his movement dazzling the Brazilian. In the opening stages of the second round, it was more of the same, with a jab dropping Pereira; from there, the onslaught ensued.
Gane connected with a barrage of strikes before Herb Dean called a stop to the contest. It was one-sided, perhaps in a way few fighters and fans would have expected.
Following the loss, fellow fighter at UFC Freedom 250, Sean O’Malley, touched on how good his mentality is even after such a tough moment.
“[Alex Pereira’s] dad was crying, his family was sad, and he said, ‘Hey, we’ve made other families feel like this. It’s our turn.’
“I was like, ‘That dude is a legend,’ just for having that perspective so quickly after a fight and carrying that mentality… a lot of respect for that.”
What Next For Alex Pereira
After making the jump up to heavyweight, and dramatically changing his build, Pereira is in an interesting situation. What’s next for him in this division, especially after not being able to assert himself against someone like Gane?
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Topuria won’t be stepping foot inside the Octagon for a long, long time.
In an interview after the fight, he’d already called for a rematch. However, this isn’t likely to happen given the manner in which the fight ended, and the fact that Aspinall and Gane now need to fight in order to make the championship undisputed. That fight has already been touted for September, which suggests Pereira would need another win before any possible title shot.
Josh Hokit had plenty to say about the Brazilian in the lead-up to the White House card, with the American criticising him at both press conferences. Hokit has brought himself into title contention following wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. Could he be the next best challenge for Pereira?
Former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Didi Hamann has caused a real stir with his comments about Harry Kane following England’s victory over Croatia at the 2026 World Cup.
Kane, who had an outstanding 2025/26 season with Bayern Munich which saw him record 68 goal contributions (61 goals and seven assists) in just 51 games, was named in England’s starting XI for their opening match of the tournament.
England’s captain, who is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or this year, put in another outstanding performance as the Three Lions picked up all three points. Kane scored his side’s first two goals as England won 4-2 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Didi Hamann Questions Harry Kane After England 4-2 Croatia
Kane has, rightfully so, received many plaudits for his performance against Croatia. Not everyone has been gushing over the 32-year-old, though.
Hamann was covering the match as a pundit for RTE. Following the game, he said ‘the jury is still out’ about England’s captain as he questioned his effectiveness in big matches.
He said: “He’s scored eight in the group games. He’s got two against Tunisia, three against Panama, penalty against Colombia in the round of 16.
“Out of 10 goals he’s got seven or eight in the group stage. He’s playing in his third World Cup now. He’s the captain and he’s there to score goals in the knockout games.
“The jury’s out. I want to see him do it in the last 16 against France, in the last eight against Brazil. Whether he’s capable of doing it, we don’t know. He hasn’t done it so far.”
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England World Cup Quiz
You scored
out of 20
He added: “When I see him move sometimes, obviously he scores a lot of goals, then again in Munich every centre-forward has scored goals. It doesn’t matter if he scores 35 or 25, they’re going to win the league, usually.
‘”In the Champions League this is where he scored this season against Paris [PSG]. Then again, when I watch the level of Paris and watch his level, I’m not sure. I think there’s a few centre-forwards in this tournament I’d probably rather have in my team than him.
“In tournament football you score on the counter-attack. He won’t score on the counter-attack. Because when you play against the best teams sometimes you have to sit back and then go 50-60 yards to score a goal. If [Noni] Madueke takes off, if [Anthony] Gordon or [Marcus] Rashford take off, he won’t be able to keep up with him.
“I’m sitting on the fence for now, I’ve got my doubts about him. Whether he’s the player that’s taking England to the World Cup. At some stage in the tournament you need pace and he simply hasn’t got it.”
He continued: “His finishing is probably the best in the tournament, the best in the world. Left foot, right foot, give him half a chance and he’ll score. But does he get in these positions against Germany, against Brazil, against France? I’m not too sure.”
Hamann’s comments have not gone down well on social media. One fan said: “Surely up there one of the stupidest things anyone has uttered,” while a second wrote: “This is the most ridiculous statement I have heard in a while.”
A third stated: “This is one of the worst 2 minutes of punditry I’ve ever seen in my life,” while a fourth added: “Bloke’s a clown.”
Kane and England are next in action on Tuesday, June 23 when they take on Ghana at Boston Stadium. The African side also won their opening match of the tournament as they beat Panama 1-0.
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