New England manager Thomas Tuchel has announced his squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, making several bold decisions that have left out high-profile stars including Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Manchester City's Phil Foden.

Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold was also omitted, while Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney earned a surprise call-up. Toney impressed off the bench at Euro 2024 but has played only two minutes of international football since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2024.

Tuchel, a Champions League winner with Chelsea, was hired to end England's 60-year wait for a major tournament victory. His controversial selections will face harsh scrutiny if the Three Lions fail to deliver in the coming weeks.

Foden and Palmer were instrumental in England's run to the Euro 2024 final, but both have struggled for form at their clubs this season. Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin were also overlooked despite being among the top-scoring Englishmen in the Premier League.

Veteran Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson was preferred to Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton. Tuchel admitted informing players of their exclusion was difficult: "It was painful, sometimes painfully difficult. I called all players who had been in camp to show appreciation for their contributions."

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire expressed shock at his omission: "I was confident I could play a major part this summer. The decision left me shocked and gutted." His club teammate Luke Shaw was also left out.

Tuchel took a risk on center-back John Stones, who has had an injury-hit season with limited playing time at Manchester City. England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, followed by matches against Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.

Source: www.aljazeera.com