From Trent to Toney: The ultimate England XI excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man squad

Thomas Tuchel’s decision to swell his England panel to 35 names for the forthcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan was designed to cast the net wide, yet a host of established and in-form figures still slipped through the mesh. Below is a full-strength side comprised entirely of English-eligible players left out this month – a second XI that would not look out of place on a World Cup stage.

Between the sticks, Nick Pope is the natural selection. With 10 senior caps and approaching 250 Premier League appearances, the Newcastle keeper offers proven international pedigree in a position where England’s depth is notoriously thin.

At right-back, the headline snub belongs to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Real Madrid defender remains a divisive talent among coaches, but his creative numbers from wide areas continue to rank among Europe’s elite. Tuchel becomes the latest national boss to decide the package does not yet fit.

Central defence is complicated by injuries to Levi Colwill, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah, yet Joe Gomez emerges as the pick of the fit and available cohort. A two-time Premier League winner with Liverpool and a 17-cap England international, Gomez edges out Tosin Adarabioyo and Everton’s James Tarkowski for the reliability of his positioning and recovery speed.

Beside him, Jarrad Branthwaite continues to wait for a first competitive start in an England shirt. The 6ft 5in Everton centre-back has been linked with big-money moves for the past two windows and, once fully past his recent fitness issues, is expected to re-enter Tuchel’s thinking.

On the left, Luke Shaw’s absence is a direct consequence of the head coach’s preference for youth. With Nico O’Reilly and Lewis Hall the freshest options in the 35-man group, the Manchester United full-back – instrumental in his club’s mini-revival under caretaker Michael Carrick – faces an uncertain international future.

Midfield offers little comfort for Conor Gallagher. The 25-year-old swapped Madrid for Tottenham in January to boost his visibility, only to find himself mired in a winless league run under Ange Postecoglou. Tuchel has looked elsewhere for energy in the engine room.

Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White can consider himself unfortunate. Six goals in his last 12 league outings have propelled Nuno Espírito Santo’s side toward safety, yet the playmaker’s creative burst was not enough to dislodge the incumbents.

Completing the midfield trio is Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Uncapped at senior level, the 27-year-old has reignited his career at Goodison Park after a stilted spell at Chelsea. Continued form could force a late push for a maiden call-up.

In attack, Ivan Toney’s prolific streak in Saudi Arabia – 34 goals in 38 games for Al-Hilal – has been insufficient to overhaul Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Dominic Solanke in Tuchel’s striker order. The 29-year-old’s exile, alongside that of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, has triggered the fiercest debate among supporters. Watkins, a near-ever-present in recent England squads, has struggled to hit previous heights this term but still carries a top-level reputation.

Rounding out the forward line is the evergreen Danny Welbeck. Now 35, the Brighton striker leads all English scorers in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign with 12 goals, proving that longevity and instinct in front of goal remain priceless commodities.

Together, these 11 professionals form a sobering reminder of the depth now required to break into an England set-up that shows no sign of shrinking.