By Gabriel Mills
Whether it be which strikers are backup to Harry Kane or which of England’s long list of midfielders make the final squad – Thomas Tuchel has his work cut out when picking his World Cup 2026 team.
As the excitement for the 23rd instalment of football’s greatest competition rapidly grows, players end their seasons with one eye on being part of it.
A late flurry of excellent form might just win a spot in the squad – a slow end to the season or an untimely injury may do the opposite.
Which players are absolute certainties, which are on the cusp and who will be watching from home as England prepares for another tournament with heavy expectation.
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The number 10 conundrum
England are blessed to have a frightening number of quality attacking midfielders.
Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, James Maddison – there are worse problems to have for Tuchel but a problem for him to fix all the same.
Phil Foden’s drop-off in form since his Player of the Season winning campaign in 2023/24 has been the topic of much discussion but there is now real doubt around whether he will be part of England’s squad.
The boyhood Man City fan has managed just six league starts since the turn of the year as players like Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki look to have overtaken Foden in the Man City pecking order.
With no goals and one assist in the Premier League in 2026 in addition to his less than impactful time in an England shirt, Foden may be one to miss out this summer.
From one struggling number 10 to another, Cole Palmer has failed to find any consistent form this season albeit injuries have taken a toll on the 23-year-old.
After his goal in the 2024 Euro’s final, you’d have been astonished to be having a conversation around whether Palmer will travel to North America in 2026.
The conversation is very real however, Palmer has scored nine league goals this season with a third of the total coming in 45 minutes against bottom club Wolves.
Chelsea’s main man has admitted to playing large parts of the season through injury but whether Tuchel feels he is deserving of a spot is hard to predict.
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Surprise front runners
Morgan Rogers has enjoyed a fantastic season for high-flying Aston Villa and his ability to play behind the striker and on either wing makes him a valuable and versatile option for the England boss.
While some argue on Bellingham’s best position, playing him ahead of a two-man midfield with more freedom to attack feels the most effective use of his talent as he remains my pick to start in this position.
At this moment in time, the two above, through a mix of good form and previous England performances, are in the squad before Palmer and Foden.
Deputy to Harry Kane
Another positive problem that Tuchel will be thankful for is solving the second striker issue.
In Harry Kane, the Three Lions have one of the best players in the world.
His record since joining Bayern Munich is absolutely incredible – 139 goals in three seasons puts him in the top 10 all-time Bayern Munich scorers already.
The conversation around where he should place in the next Ballon D’or ranking gets closer and closer to first place with every game that passes.
This makes picking the second striker for England more complicated as choosing somebody who can be effective off the bench with contrasting qualities to Kane is important.
Against the Netherlands in the Euro’s semi-finals, Ollie Watkins did exactly that as he netted a late winner off the bench to send England to the final.
A moment which will surely be in the mind of Tuchel.
While Kane can drop deep and link the play with precision passing, Watkins can offer England a willing runner in behind opposition backlines.
Watkins has also picked up form at just the right time for Villa after a slightly underwhelming first half of the season, scoring 13 goals since December.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has revived his Premier League career after his move to Leeds United in the summer and is now firmly in the conversation.
A different profile to both Kane and Watkins, Calvert-Lewin is a very effective target man and a nuisance for any defence with his strength and aerial prowess.
Danny Welbeck and Dominic Solanke are likely further down the striker list but the former is still defying his 35 years of age with goals for Brighton.
Who must go?
From the Euro’s 2024 squad, there will be plenty of change.
Players like Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson and Lewis Hall are now surely firm favorites to make the final cut following successful seasons for their respective clubs.
Morgan Rogers could replace Phil Foden while players at the 2024 Euro’s like Ivan Toney, Conor Gallagher and even Trent Alexander-Arnold could miss out.
Anthony Gordon was in many fans squads prior to this season but is not guaranteed a place following a subpar season for Newcastle.
West Ham’s hero, Jarrod Bowen is another who will hope his stellar season is enough to impress Tuchel and snatch a spot.
The expectation on the shoulders of the England players remains the constant, however, Thomas Tuchel will hope to build on the positives from Gareth Southgate’s tenure to end 60 years of hurt.
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