Thomas Tuchel has left Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his 35-man England squad for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, dealing a significant blow to the Real Madrid defender’s hopes of securing a place at the 2026 World Cup this summer.
The enlarged squad, named on Friday 20 March 2026, represents Tuchel’s final opportunity to assess players before finalising his 26-man World Cup group. Alexander-Arnold’s absence stands out as the most high-profile omission, especially as he has returned to regular first-team action at club level following a challenging start to life in Spain.
Tuchel’s Reasoning
Speaking at his press conference, the England head coach described the decision as a purely sporting one and acknowledged its difficulty.
“I know it’s a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw. These tough decisions come with the job,” Tuchel said. “It’s a sporting decision that we stick with Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence who can play for us at right-back.”
He added that he is well aware of Alexander-Arnold’s quality and what he can offer the team, but has chosen to trust the right-backs he has worked with directly in previous camps.
Key Squad Details
The 35-man group allows Tuchel to split the squad across the two matches at Wembley, giving fringe players valuable minutes while resting some established stars late in a demanding club season.
Notable recalls include Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo, who return under Tuchel, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin also features again. Everton’s James Garner earns his first senior call-up.
Other significant omissions alongside Alexander-Arnold, Watkins and Shaw include Morgan Gibbs-White. Reece James is unavailable through hamstring injury, and Kyle Walker has retired from international duty.
Full England 35-Man Squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan).
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur).
What It Means for Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold has made limited appearances for England under Tuchel, with his most recent involvement a substitute outing in June 2025. Questions over his defensive positioning at right-back have persisted, despite his world-class passing, crossing and attacking threat.
While the door is not officially closed for the World Cup, his failure to make even an expanded 35-man squad heightens the challenge. Strong performances for Real Madrid in the coming weeks will be essential if he is to force his way back into contention.
The friendlies against Uruguay (27 March) and Japan (31 March) will provide further insight into Tuchel’s thinking as England build towards the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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