Thomas Tuchel unsure what Phil Foden's position is as England boss explains why Man City star would've been 'unhappy' at World Cup

The 25-year-old playmaker became the most high-profile casualty of a brutal tactical cull on Friday, joining Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, and Trent Alexander-Arnold on a star-studded list of omissions. Despite boasting 49 international caps since his 2020 debut, Foden paid the ultimate price for an inconsistent domestic campaign with City, yielding just seven Premier League goals. Having been a regular fixture across England's last three tournament appearances, his decline in momentum forced Tuchel into taking decisive administrative action.

Explaining the gruelling thought process behind axing the former PFA Players' Player of the Year, the England manager confessed that structural deployment concerns ultimately dictated his final selection framework.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Tuchel said: “With Phil, it’s a little bit different, he was excellent in camp for us…not only in training but also out of it. It hurt me a lot actually to tell him this decision. I could see in his reaction how much it would have meant for him to come. But he lost momentum in a crucial part of the season, especially in the last half of the season…we could see glimpses here or there, but not enough evidence.

"I was unsure in the end what position he is. Is it a 10, is it a false 9, is it maybe more of a Bernardo Silva role in the future as an 8? It’s maybe not on the wing anymore, so it doesn’t make sense to me to bring players and maybe play them out of position…to have them in camp it would make them uncomfortable, unhappy, so the decisions have to be made.”

The tactical debate surrounding Foden's optimal integration has plagued successive international managers, with the player frequently shunted to the flanks to accommodate other creative profiles. Under Tuchel's rigid transitional system, the competitive landscape has shifted dramatically, with the German handing the City graduate only a single start since taking charge in January 2025. Instead, he has installed Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers as the primary, robust options to spearhead the central attacking midfield roles.

England's 26-man squad must now rapidly solidify their tactical foundations ahead of a demanding Group L campaign against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. The Three Lions face a definitive opening-day examination against the Croatians on June 17 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where Tuchel's selection gamble will face immediate global scrutiny. Meanwhile, a devastated Foden must utilise the extended summer break to mentally process the exclusion and prepare for a crucial pre-season transition under City's new managerial regime.