Thomas Tuchel has again decided against calling up Trent Alexander-Arnold to England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, and his reasons for doing so have emerged.

The Real Madrid defender was excluded from England’s 26-man squad for this summer’s tournament in May, with the likes of Reece James, Djed Spence and Tino Livramento preferred.

Livramento had to withdraw from England’s squad just days before the Three Lions’ opener against Croatia after suffering a calf injury in training.

Tuchel again decided against calling up Trent to replace the Newcastle defender, instead bringing Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah into the fold.

Why Tuchel Decided Against Calling Up Trent Alexander-Arnold

Lee Smith via Reuters

Many football fans questioned Tuchel’s decision to leave out Alexander-Arnold when he initially named his squad, and many are baffled they have overlooked him again.

Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett has now explained the two reasons why the Real Madrid defender, considered one of the best right-backs in the world, was not called up.

He said: “There will be a lot of England fans and pundits saying ‘why not Trent Alexander-Arnold?’ – that’s a question Tuchel will be asked.

“Also, Tuchel has left some big names out of this squad, Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire and Phil Foden. He didn’t want to bring them if they weren’t going to be guaranteed game time. So the England manager may have had concerns about bringing in a superstar like Alexander-Arnold if he was going to spend time sitting on the bench.”

Thomas Tuchel Explains Reasons For Calling Up Chalobah

Thomas Tuchel via Reuters/Jim Rassol​​​​​​​

Tuchel has now addressed Livramento’s injury and explained why he decided to replace him with Chalobah.

He said: “Tino was of course very disappointed and sad. All of us were. It was a bit of a shock when he had to stop training and he had a feeling that this could be an injury that could cost him the tournament. He was unfortunately right after assessment.

“We got the information that it’s about four or five weeks, which is unfortunately too long to keep on rebuilding and reintegrating him into the squad. We took the decision to send him home, which is disappointing.

England get their 2026 World Cup campaign underway on Wednesday evening when they take on Croatia at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Arsenal are set to enter the summer transfer market with some huge potential deals, as reports claim the club are looking to revive interest in a defender they eyed three years ago.

The Gunners are expected to be somewhat busy over the course of the transfer window, with Mikel Arteta looking to take his team to the next level after sealing his first Premier League title as head coach.

The priority appears to be in attack, as links to Morgan Rogers have persisted, while there is also interest in PSG star Bradley Barcola for the coming weeks.

There may be some moves in the defence too, depending on outgoings, with reports emerging of a potential deal in the works for a star they’ve shown interest in before.

Arsenal Want Ivan Fresneda Transfer

As Arsenal look at new options to freshen up the squad, Portuguese outlet A Bola, via Sport Witness, claims that the Gunners are eyeing a deal for Sporting CP star Ivan Fresneda.

The North London clubs were linked with the defender back in 2023, as he impressed when breaking through the ranks with Real Valladolid.

While there was interest, he instead made the move to Sporting, where he has made 81 appearances since and has grown into an important player for the side.

The report claims that Arsenal are closely monitoring Fresneda, and while there is a £69 million release clause in his deal, his club are unwilling to negotiate a move this summer.

Joining Arsenal in their interest is Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Newcastle United, as they all eye a potential star of the future at right-back.

It remains to be seen if the Gunners can finally tempt a move for Fresneda, but they should try their luck if they want to progress.

Arsenal Need Right-Back Cover

Arsenal fans are likely to get more excited by their forward additions rather than any signings in the backline, but a new right-back could be key this summer.

The Gunners found it to be a problem position last season, as injuries to Jurrien Timber and Ben White kept the pair out of action, with Arteta resorting to using Cristhian Mosquera at right-back.

Fresneda, at just 21 years old, could prove to be an ideal candidate to compete for a place in the long-term, while offering plenty of energy and fitness for the role.

He was among the fastest players in the Champions League for last season, showing he can bring his rapid pace to the backline as and when required.

It remains to be seen how much it may take to complete a deal, but it’s one Arsenal should push to get over the line to help bolster out their options.

Zinedine Zidane watched on from the stands as an Algeria side featuring his son, Luca, were beaten by Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.

Luca, a goalkeeper, was born in France and has spent much of his life in Spain. However, he has always been eligible to represent Algeria and officially switched allegiances ahead of this summer’s tournament.

The 28-year-old, who plays for Spanish second tier side Granada at club level, was named in his nation’s starting lineup for their opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Argentina.

Luca was powerless to resist as the reigning World Cup champions picked up a comfortable victory courtesy of the brilliant Lionel Messi. The Inter Miami forward, who was perhaps fortunate not to be sent off, netted a stunning hat-trick as the South Americans won 3-0.

Video of Zinedine Zidane in the Stands Goes Viral

Dylan Martinez via Reuters

Luca did not have his best match in goal. According to SofaScore, he made just three saves during the game and had a goals-prevented stat of -0.78, meaning he conceded more goals than expected.

Despite completing all 37 of his passes, Luca was given a rating of just 6.3/10.

The camera panned to his father, Zinedine, with Argentina leading 2-0 with just over 15 minutes of the game remaining. The Real Madrid and France legend did not look impressed at all as he shook his hand before falling back into his seat.

Luca Zidane’s Performance vs Argentina Sparks Big Reaction

Siphiwe Sibeko via Reuters

Football fans watching the match were not impressed with Luca’s performance. One fan was especially brutal as they said: “The Algerian FA should be investigating everyone involved in getting Luca Zidane a starting spot in the XI. There’s no way he starts for them without serious strings being pulled behind the scenes. They’re risking an early World Cup exit and possibly losing out on millions of dollars.”

Another stated: “He doesn’t even know how to do the simple basics of goalkeeping. [The] first goal was genuinely embarrassing, and he went and conceded an even worse goal the second time.”

A third said: “Algeria’s population is 48 million. Is it possible there’s no better goalkeeper than this?” While a fourth commented: “There’s no way this guy goes professional without Zidane.”

Why Luca Zidane is Wearing a Mask at the 2026 World Cup

Denny Medley via Reuters

In the spring, Luca fractured his jaw and chin, while suffering a severe concussion, following a sickening collision during a match against Almeria. He subsequently missed the rest of the domestic season and had to have surgery.

Despite that injury, Luca was named in Algeria’s 26-man squad for the World Cup. He hasn’t fully recovered, though, and is only allowed to play while wearing a black mask that covers the perimeter of his face.

Luca gave an update on his injury ahead of the tournament. He said: “I’m doing well, I don’t have any pain anymore. The surgery went well and five weeks have passed now. I returned to training on the pitch two weeks ago and I’m very happy.”

Luca and Algeria will be looking to bounce back when they face Jordan in their next Group J match on Monday, June 22.