Tuchel left Palmer and Alexander-Arnold out of England's World Cup squad. His first squad since brings both back. (2026)

Thomas Tuchel's first England squad since the World Cup has 27 players. Ten of them missed the tournament. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer are back in it; Phil Foden misses out again. 1

Palmer has four goals and two assists in six games for Chelsea this season, and Alexander-Arnold has made five appearances for Real Madrid. Tuchel said the door "is always open", and that neither had done anything wrong when he left them out in June — only that being named is a different job from performing. 2

What Tuchel wants from Alexander-Arnold has not changed. He has picked him as a right-back, and says the defensive side of his game has to improve: "He has to, it's necessary." 3

The turn

Tuchel's own change of mind is the bigger one. England lost the World Cup semi-final to Argentina after leading through Anthony Gordon and then losing the ball. Tuchel read that as a failure of control, and he had spent the tournament chasing it. 4

On Friday he argued the other way. "I'm just wrestling with myself," he said. "Deep down, in the core, English players and the spectators — and this is a beautiful thing — they go for it." The games he now points to are the ones England played on instinct: the second half against Croatia, and the first half against France in the 6-4 bronze-medal win. 5

Who is new, who is missing

Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha, 18, has a first senior call-up. Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Newcastle's Lewis Hall, Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bournemouth's Alex Scott also come in. 1

Foden, Harry Maguire, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton stay out. Reece James, John Stones, Dan Burn, Djed Spence, Dean Henderson and Jordan Henderson miss the window injured. 2 3

Four games, starting with the champions

England host Spain at Wembley on Saturday 26 September (7.45pm local / 2.45pm ET / 11.45am PT), then play Czechia in Prague on Tuesday 29 September (8.45pm local / 2.45pm ET / 11.45am PT), Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday 3 October (6pm local / noon ET / 9am PT), and Czechia again at Wembley on Tuesday 6 October (7.45pm local / 2.45pm ET / 11.45am PT). 4 6 7

Quote of the Day

Tuchel spent a World Cup trying to make England calmer and came home with bronze. His first squad since picks the two players he left behind and admits the calm was the wrong instinct. Spain arrive at Wembley on 26 September, and the argument gets settled there.