By the time Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission came around, the reaction was more raised eyebrows than full-blown hysteria.
Social media had already gone into full meltdown mode for the previous 24 hours as news of Thomas Tuchel's squad started to be reported, Harry Maguire's family included. Ahead of the past two major tournaments, Alexander-Arnold's projected inclusion or otherwise was the lightning-rod for capricious armchair analysis around England squad announcements. He made both squads, but not this time.
As Tuchel confirmed his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup on Friday morning, we'd already moved beyond speculation over who was or wasn't going to make the cut. Club supporters across the land were already dissecting the headlines from his squad, which had been reported on Thursday afternoon and into the evening. There were those in Nottingham and southwest London reacting in dismay, but at least the diehard Al-Ahli ultras enjoyed it. The Maguire family didn't.
But this is why Tuchel is paid so handsomely and well regarded by the FA. As ultimately, it's on these sorts of calls where he's judged. If England struggle for creativity at the World Cup, then you'll hear the absent names of Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Cole Palmer yearned for. If Reece James goes down injured early in the campaign, then my kingdom for Alexander-Arnold. Miss a penalty? Well, what have they been doing in training? The opposition score a couple of set pieces? Well maybe Maguire's mum and brother had a point. But do well, end England men's 60-year wait for a major tournament, and Tuchel is a genius.
Major tournaments teeter on a precipice. Look at the emotions Gareth Southgate went through at Euro 2024: pelted by beer and sworn at after the 0-0 draw with Slovenia, and then back to national deity waistcoat-wearing status by the time he'd steered them to the final. Nothing says England like pre-major tournament rollercoaster hysteria, and that's just the squad announcement. In these 26 players, Tuchel prioritised squad chemistry.
"From day one we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily selecting and collecting the 26 most talented players," Tuchel said. "Teams win championships."
As he talked through the group, Tuchel frequently referred to the squad he picked in Aug. 2025 where 20 of this eventual World Cup squad were included: Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Adam Wharton and Jarrod Bowen the four included then who missed out. It was back then, Djed Spence and Elliot Anderson received their first call-ups. That was the foundational camp for this squad: since then he's just been tweaking things. Over the past three days, Tuchel has been on the phone to players -- 55 or so in total. Any player who featured in one of Tuchel's camps got a call. He heard the joy in the voices from those picked, and had "painful conversations" with those omitted. Each decision was based on his own observations, talks with key confidants and a bank of knowledge he'd built up.
Toney? Well he was an 88th minute substitute in their 3-1 defeat to Senegal. But he makes the cut, a call based on his attitude in camp, ability to be a gamechanger if England need a goal, penalty-taking prowess, and conversations Tuchel had with a former player from his Under-19 Stuttgart days over 20 years ago, Matthias Jaissle, who also happens to be Toney's manager at Al-Ahli.
As he weighed up the squad make-up, he looked to the background group at St George's Park who do all the analysis for guidance, the team's psychologists, and his own observations on little unseen moments, like how players have warmed up, or dealt with disappointments.
"I can assure every fan we have 100% committed players in camp with us -- who are ready to buy into their role on and off the pitch, who are ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish," Tuchel said.
On the field, his picks come down to scenario-planning.
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"We have specialists with us for all kinds of different scenarios: when you're leading, when we're chasing a game. We always said we want to be a strong set piece team, so we have specialists for that and we want to be a strong penalty team," he added.
"We have a decent leadership group in camp. The leadership group took care and ownership in a very special way from September onwards. They created a culture, they set the tone, they set the standards."
Tuchel wouldn't go into specifics on why certain players missed out. He said there was no point picking five No.10s and shoehorning them into different positions. That did for Palmer, Gibbs-White and Foden. Bowen? Well, West Ham's struggles played a part in that call. For those he did pick, he looked to friendships and understanding. Take the No.10 spot: it looks like Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham are the contenders to start there. Their relationship was important.
"They don't have to be enemies. I believe it's possible to fight for your place but still push your friend and colleague to the best international performance. We took a lot of care over this energy. I have no doubt we chose the right players," Tuchel said.
The same goes with Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke on the right-wing. While there are a bank of players you could have tattooed in a while back, there are educated gambles on those struggling for fitness, or match time. Full-back is one such area where Tuchel has stacked his chips carefully. Reece James is only just back from a hamstring injury, Livramento has been out since mid-April with a thigh injury and Spence has a fractured jaw. But they're picked with Jarrell Quansah also providing right-back cover. So Lewis-Skelly and Alexander-Arnold miss out.
At centre-back, there's no Maguire. Instead, there's Tuchel-favourite Dan Burn and John Stones, who has played just eight minutes in the Premier League since December. But Tuchel says he is a "huge believer" in what he feels is "a world-class player and proven winner."
In midfield, a host of talented No. 10s miss out, but there are tried and tested reliable figures like Jordan Henderson. Tuchel will see his leadership qualities, experience and also as someone you can rely on to drive standards in training. Other calls were based on how players responded to moments of serendipity. Before the March camp, Spence was challenged by Tuchel to prove his worth as his club side Spurs laboured. Spence did just that along with Livramento in that draw with Uruguay. Both are included.
Fundamentally, this squad was always going to be polarising. They are always juggling acts. Stars have been left out, social media meltdowns have boiled over, but it's all to ensure the noise happens now, and once they're in tournament, there's minimal hysteria and disruption. There's more than a touch of the Southgate-method about this selection. It leaves in its wake disgruntled players and aghast fans, but fundamentally all of that will be forgotten if England deliver.
On Friday, smiling and at ease as he talked through his decisions, Tuchel unequivocally stood by his calls -- a selection which prioritises the strength of the collective, over a disparate band of talented individuals.
"The goal is to try to win the World Cup and not be shy about it. We need a bit of luck," Tuchel said.
"We need to have our selections right, we need to stay healthy, and catch momentum and build a brotherhood, to play with courage, play with hunger, and take advantage of special moments. We need a bit of luck and we need crucial moments on our side."