World Cup 2026 analysis: Why Thomas Tuchel’s England squad suddenly makes sense
After plenty of question marks over Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection ahead of the 2026 World Cup, that good old English optimism has returned following the Three Lions’ 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening group stage match.
Suddenly, the exclusion of the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold don’t seem to bother fans as much.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert takes a look at why this crop of England players are perfect for what manager Tuchel is trying to achieve.
All about Harry
There is no doubt about it - almost everything England do in attack is built around Harry Kane.
The England captain has 41 goal involvements in 25 Bundesliga starts this season for Bayern Munich, showing something close to Ballon d’Or form.
The captain scored a brace to join Gary Lineker as England’s highest World Cup goalscorers, but offered so much more on the ball with his style of play.
A big block towards the end of the game showed he is not just valued for his finishing abilities.
It looks as though Tuchel, who signed Kane for Bayern, has given him the freedom to play in the way he is known to enjoy.
Lightning pace
With Kane dropping deeper, it gives the wingers plenty of space to run into, which Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke did relatively well during the game due to their lightning pace.
When you add in Jude Bellingham’s willingness to run from midfield, England’s football looked free-flowing, fast and dangerous - just take England’s third goal as an example.
Whilst the likes of Palmer and Foden have undeniable quality, it seems they lack the capabilities that suit Tuchel’s style of play.
In addition to this, the three number 10s that England have taken (Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze) have all had a better season than the two previously mentioned.
Team over talent
Another big call from Tuchel was leaving out Alexander-Arnold, especially when the injured Tino Livramento was replaced with Chelsea’s Trevor Chalobah.
Whilst the 27-year-old has struggled in his first season with Real Madrid, like Foden and Palmer, he is a player you would expect to be on the plane based off of what he could do for England.
You only have to watch a few of his highlights to see how influential the former Liverpool man can be.
However, the Croatia game may have shown why he too is not required for this England team to succeed.
Alexander-Arnold is known for his ability to come into midfield from his right-back position and start attacks from unlikely places.
Influential midfield duo
However, the duo of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson rely on seeing plenty of the ball in order to be influential.
Anderson ranked number one as the most involved Premier League player for the 2025/26 season, with Rice coming in sixth.
Due to the profile of Alexander-Arnold, an extra body drifting into midfield could cause congestion and disrupt England’s passing patterns which developed during the game.
With Rice and Anderson dropping deeper, Tuchel’s style means that on the ball the full-backs are tasked with staying wider to help England play out, something that again goes against Trent’s natural instincts.
Alexander Arnold has also been known to struggle particularly in 1v1 situations.
This is likely something Tuchel will have had in mind as should England progress in the tournament, there are plenty of left-sided wingers to keep England’s Reece James busy whether that be the likes of Vinicius Jr, Nico Williams or Jeremy Doku.
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Room for a role model
It is becoming clear that Tuchel has not picked the 26 best footballers in the land, but the 26 who will fit his system and his camp the best.
Many England fans seemed frustrated at the inclusion of now 36-year-old Jordan Henderson, suggesting there were other players who should have been in the squad ahead of him, such as James Garner or Adam Wharton.
However, with the German leaving behind so many big names, it gave him the room to put in a player who appears to be well-loved by England players and will boost morale in the dressing room.
Morgan Rogers even went as far to say that if a blind ranking had to be made of the players others would want in the camp, ‘he would be in everyone’s top five’.
In a 26-man squad there are likely to be players who do not feature, which ultimately means it comes down to what you can add to the team mentally.
It is in this category Jordan Henderson appears to be number one.
As early impressions go, Tuchel’s first World Cup win suggests he got the balance of the squad absolutely right.
It looks to be a different type of England this time, but then we’ve certainly said that before.
