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England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted his surprise at Harry Maguire’s reaction after the veteran defender was omitted from the Three Lions' 26-man World Cup squad. The German coach heavily praised the centre-back’s exceptional seasonal form but defended his ultimate selection blueprint, which relies on a core group of established tournament leaders.

Marcus Rashford called his England recall a “full-circle moment” after overcoming recent setbacks to make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. The forward thanked Unai Emery and Hansi Flick for helping revive his career, but made no mention of Manchester United.

So there we have it: England's 2026 World Cup squad is confirmed and it will go down as one of the most contentious of all time. Manager Thomas Tuchel has made it abundantly clear from the outset that he isn't afraid to ruffle some feathers with his decisions, and he has stayed true to his word with his divisive selections for the Three Lions' latest bid to end an agonising wait for a first major trophy since 1966.

Thomas Tuchel has defended his decision to leave Harry Maguire, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer out of England’s World Cup squad. The England boss admitted the calls were “painfully difficult” but insisted he wanted a balanced group built on “hunger and excitement”.