England head coach Thomas Tuchel has named Fulham youngster Josh King in his 25-man squad for upcoming Nations League fixtures. King earns his first official senior call-up alongside Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham as the Three Lions prepare to face Croatia and Spain.
King earns maiden senior England call-up
England manager Thomas Tuchel has handed a debut senior call-up to Fulham midfielder Josh King for the concluding UEFA Nations League group matches against Croatia and Spain. The 25-man squad also includes Jobe Bellingham, with both players stepping up from the Under-21 setup.
King previously gained experience with the senior squad during their pre-World Cup training camp in Florida over the summer.
Tuchel selected 22 outfield players to maintain flexibility during the short international window.
Tuchel praises King's character and versatility
Speaking at his squad announcement press conference, Tuchel praised King's personality while outlining his tactical plans for the Fulham youngster.
"He is just a fantastic character. He gives us a bit of flexibility," Tuchel stated regarding King's selection.
"We decided to nominate 22 outfield players for flexibility in training and he is the extra player in training, if you will. It is the attitude and the personality," the manager added.
Position plans and explanation behind Palmer omission
Tuchel clarified how King will be utilised, while explaining why Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer missed out on a spot in the squad.
"In pre-season he helped us in training as a full back but we will not do that again," Tuchel noted. "He is an exciting player, a versatile player."
Addressing the attacking midfield options, Tuchel added: "We have enough number 10s and we stick to the guys who were in the previous camp because we were happy with the two and a half weeks we had together. We have Josh King as a new player in there, but I want to see him on both wings. He is kind of an extra player and he can play all four positions."
Three Lions target Nations League quarter-final spot
England gather early next week to begin preparations for Thursday's clash against Croatia at Wembley before travelling to Madrid to face Spain on Sunday, 15 November.
Sitting second in Group C, England require only to avoid defeat against Croatia to confirm their place in the Nations League quarter-finals next March.
King will look to make his senior debut as Tuchel's side aim for top spot in the group.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
