Tuchel omits TAA, but calls up 35-year-old keeper without single EPL minute this season

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, national teams are slowly but surely beginning their preparations for the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, which means friendly matches are on the horizon.

The England national team will thus play two friendly duels in the final days of March, hosting Uruguay on the 27th and Japan four days later, both at Wembley Stadium.

The Three Lions' head coach, Thomas Tuchel, announced a 35-man squad for those games earlier today and sprung a few surprises.

First and foremost, Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't make the cut! Despite playing for arguably the greatest club in the world, Real Madrid, the right-back apparently failed to impress the German, who instead opted to rely on Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, and Tino Livramento.

On the other hand, there was enough space in the squad for as many as five goalkeepers, one of which (Jason Steele of Brighton) has yet to clock a single Premier League minute this season!

When it comes to national team returnees, Harry Maguire was called up for the first time since September 2024, Fikayo Tomori hasn't played for the Three Lions since 2023, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was absent the longest - since the 2021 European Championship.

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Apart from the aforementioned Steele, James Trafford, and James Garner could debut for England.

Regarding the snubs, the omission of Ollie Watkins is probably the most surprising - excluding TAA - while Tuchel disclosed that Chelsea's duo, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah, and Alex Scott of Bournemouth would have been called up if they weren't injured.

The German also revealed that as many as 11 players (Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Elliot Anderson, Nico O'Reilly, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, and Dean Henderson) would miss the game against Uruguay because they have played 3,500-4,000 minutes this season.

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ENGLAND SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: James Trafford (Manchester City), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

Defenders: Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), James Garner (Everton), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford)

Forwards: Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)