Eleven unlucky players to miss out on England's 2026 World Cup squad

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Tuchel: No fear leaving Foden, Palmer & Trent out of England squad (2:15)

Thomas Tuchel speaks about some of the exclusions from his England squad for the FIFA World Cup. (2:15)

Thomas Tuchel has announced the England squad for the 2026 World Cup and to say there were some big calls would be an understatement.

With the Three Lions heading stateside ahead of the World Cup starting on June 11, the big day finally arrived when players found out they were on the plane.

But, naturally, with every happy player, there were also disappointed ones, and with the strength in depth that England currently possess, there are some very big names missing from the squad.

So many, in fact, that you can make a strong XI of snubbed players, and that is exactly what we have done.

Opting for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation that Tuchel will likely play in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, here is our team of players who can feel unlucky to miss out.

- England 2026 World Cup squad confirmed: Ivan Toney and John Stones in, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer out
- Meet England's 2026 World Cup squad: All 26 players picked by Thomas Tuchel and why
- England 2026 World Cup squad: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, more react to selection

Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle, on loan from Southampton)

England's three goalkeepers appeared largely set in stone when Aaron Ramsdale was sent home from the most recent squad, but the on-loan Newcastle keeper can still feel aggrieved.

He has played in 23 matches for Newcastle this season, conceding 41 goals, although seven of those came in one match against Barcelona in the Champions League.

In all honesty, who goes to the World Cup behind Jordan Pickford is slightly immaterial but Ramsdale has the right to feel disappointed.

Lewis Hall (Newcastle)

Another Newcastle player to miss out is Lewis Hall, with Tottenham's Djed Spence chosen over him.

Hall has been a mainstay in the Newcastle team and would have likely made many people's England squads.

But Tuchel has opted for Spence and Hall will have to watch Newcastle teammates Dan Burn, Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon from afar.

Levi Colwill (Chelsea)

A player whose bad luck came almost a year ago when he tore his ACL in August.

Levi Colwill would surely have been in the England squad had he been fit for much of the season, having won five England caps and being an important member of the Chelsea team over the past two seasons.

But, despite being back fit for the FA Cup final, a game which Tuchel watched, the German has decided it is too soon after his injury for Colwill to make the cut and he too will have to watch from home.

Harry Maguire (Manchester United)

The most vocal of all the omissions has been Harry Maguire, who aired his frustrations on Instagram on Thursday night.

The 66-cap centre back has returned to form with Manchester United this season under Michael Carrick and was expected to be included.

Maguire has experience at major tournaments, having been a part of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as the 2020 Euros, but Tuchel has chosen Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah over him.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid)

One of the more expected snubs was Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose season at Real Madrid has hardly been a noteworthy one.

But, to leave a player with the quality that Alexander-Arnold possesses at home, you have got to be pretty confident in your options.

Tuchel has chosen Reece James and Livramento over Alexander-Arnold, and after being named as a midfielder for the 2024 Euros, there is no such experiment this time from the German.

Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

A few months ago, many would have expected Adam Wharton to be on the plane, but unfortunately for the Crystal Palace midfielder, there has been a resurgence from Kobbie Mainoo.

Elliot Anderson also appears to have won the battle with Wharton to start alongside Declan Rice in the England midfield pivot and Mainoo's form at Manchester United has relegated him further.

Tuchel has always included Jordan Henderson in his squads and he does so again, forcing Wharton out of the squad altogether.

James Garner (Everton)

James Garner can feel hard done by simply because of how much Tuchel mentioned him during the last set of international fixtures.

Calling him 'England's Valverde' in reference to Uruguay and Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde and then not picking him does feel a tad harsh.

But, in the holding midfield role, England have a number of excellent options and unfortunately, it would appear that being your nation's 'Valverde' is not enough to be make the plane.

Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Cole Palmer has not had the same calibre of season as his first two at Chelsea but many people would have still expected him to be in the squad.

He has had his fair share of injuries, and has suffered with Chelsea's form plummeting under Liam Rosenior, and Palmer not scoring in his past eight matches.

He has still managed 10 goals and three assists this season in all competitions and one may have thought that there would be credit in the bank, but with England stacked with options both on the wing and in the No. 10 position, Palmer is arguably the most notable omission.

Phil Foden (Manchester City)

The headlines read on Thursday night that Palmer and Phil Foden had missed out and they were rightfully the headlines, as 12 months ago, you would have struggled to believe that could possibly be the case.

But Foden has struggled immensely for Form this year and has largely been on the bench for Manchester City, starting just three of the last 12 matches for his club.

That, plus the fact he does not have a goal in the Premier League since December, is enough for Tuchel to make the decision to leave him behind.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds)

In the opposite sense of Foden and Palmer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is someone that nobody would have selected 12 months ago.

But in a season where he has scored 14 goals in the Premier League, including three in his last three matches, it seems he maybe had done enough to sneak a spot on the plane.

Ollie Watkins was probably always ahead of him, but Calvert-Lewin can feel hard done by to see Ivan Toney named over him.

Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)

Leaving behind a player who has eight goals and 10 assists in the Premier League is a choice but it is one that Tuchel has made.

He is probably not helped by the fact that West Ham have struggled all season and could well be relegated on the final day of the season.

Still, taking Noni Madueke, who has just two Premier League goals at an average of a goal every 567 minutes, over him can leave Jarrod Bowen wondering what more he could have done for a side in 18th.