The omission of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire, Alexander Arnold and Morgan Gibbs-White from the 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup has set tongues wagging around the world.
Can the 26-man squad deliver the first World Cup title since 1966 for England, or will the tournament end in catastrophe for the audacious Tuchel? Yankee Scores analyzes the cold justification and baffling snubs of certain players.
Harry Maguire: Final Chapter Denied
Maguire enjoyed call-ups and playing time under former manager Gareth Southgate even when he was making headlines for his poor form. Gareth didn’t drop him. With his improved form and integral role in the defensive solidity of Manchester United, particularly since Michael Carrick took over, his omission is as shocking as he felt it to be.
In a post on Instagram, Maguire confirmed: “I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best.”
His mother, Zoe was not left out in criticizing the selection to leave out her son, saying she was “disgusted” by the decision. Only Tuchel can explain why the likes of Man City’s John Stones and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah are ahead of Harry Maguire. John Stones in particular has been in and out of the Manchester City team. In fact, the last time Stones played was in November.
After falling out of favor and losing playing time under Ruben Amorim, Maguire has started 14 of Manchester United’s last 16 Premier League games. The last 16 games have secured a Champions League spot and a top-three finish for the Red Devils. Maguire had already seen the 2026 World Cup as his last, but Tuchel has other reasons.
Foden: The Road Not Taken
The choice to omit former Premier League Player of the Year Foden could be justified due to his fringe role under Pep Guardiola this season. The emergence of Nico O’Reilly and Pep’s preference for Bernardo Silva has made minutes difficult to get for Foden.
With 10 goals and 7 assists across all competitions in 48 games, Foden’s season can perhaps be considered average. Both in his preferred attacking role in midfield and from the flank, Foden is not ahead of Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rodgers, Jude Bellingham and others.
It’s official. Your #ThreeLions players heading to the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/lqsDBYSP4X
— England (@England) May 22, 2026
Alexander Arnold: The Structural Misfit
His whipped crossing abilities, passing range and set-piece threats put him head and shoulders above Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Ben White in the right-back role. However, Arnold cannot match the defensive qualities of the above-stated players.
His major weakness is his defensive ability, which have been overshadowed by his offensive abilities. With Tuchel’s preferred formation of 4-2-3-1 and a focus on defensive structure and balance, it’s really challenging to see how Arnold can fit in.
Even under Gareth Southgate, Arnold was often benched with the 2022 World Cup experiment of playing him in midfield failing to turn heads.
Cole Palmer: Out In the Cold
Palmer has maintained his position as a vital cog in the wheel of the Chelsea team. Although he has ‘ghosted’ in recent games for the erratic Chelsea team. His 13 goals and 5 assists across all competitions this season for Chelsea are a dip when compared to his explosive 2024/2025 campaign. His direct rivals in the Three Lions team, except Jude Bellingham, have had a better season.
Morgan Rogers just won the Europa League with Villa and was named player of the tournament. Tuchel has shown that Rogers is his preferred playmaker even ahead of Jude Bellingham. Eberechi Eze just won the league with Arsenal, and he’s been entrusted by Arteta in the midfield role.
However, the quality of Palmer is never in doubt. While many fans believe he should have at least been included in the squad as a player who can conjure moments of brilliance at any time in a game, even at the expense of veteran Jordan Henderson. Tuchel dropped him based on current form and definitely not pedigree.
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Morgan Gibbs-White: No World Cup Reward
After a standout season for Forest, making the cut would have been a deserved reward for hard work. Gibbs is the top-scoring English player in the Premier League this season, alongside Watkins and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with 14 Premier League goals. He scored 17 goals and notched 7 assists overall for Forest from the midfield position.
It is clear that he is one of the best players in the middle, with an impressive passing accuracy percentage of 81%, while playing in the attacking third of the field, having completed more than 300 passes there. Yet, competing with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, and Eberechi Eze, it becomes hard to understand where he can fit. It appears that he cannot in the current formation of 4-2-3-1.
Will Tuchel’s Tactics Pay Off?
Tuchel has made his choice, but anything other than a semi-final spot at the World Cup will be regarded as a failure by fans. For a side that reached the quarterfinals at the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Euro final under Gareth Southgate, the elitism of Thomas Tuchel is expected to deliver laurels, and anything short of that will certainly not be applauded.
Tuchel has established himself as a fiery coach who doesn’t care whose ox is gored, but will these omissions, particularly Maguire and Cole Palmer, haunt him? Time will tell!
