Thomas Tuchel “got it wrong” with his centre-half selections at the 2026 World Cup and is yet to resolve that issue, Alan Stubbs has told GOAL, with the England manager being advised to bump Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite up the pecking order. The Toffees defender has been largely restricted to bench duty during the latest window of international fixtures.
England bounced back from their opening defeat to Spain with a dominant 2-0 victory over ten-man Czechia in Prague. Second-half strikes from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane ensured a comfortable evening for Thomas Tuchel's side at the Fortuna Arena.
Spain have taken early control against England at Wembley Stadium thanks to a rapid opening goal from Lamine Yamal. However, Spain could easily be further ahead if not for a chaotic display of finishing from Ferran Torres. Torres had a goal ruled out for offside and inexplicably missed two clear one-on-one chances during a frantic opening 30 minutes in London.
Enzo Fernandez has been handed an immediate reality check at Manchester City after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the midfielder has been excluded from the club’s official leadership group. Despite his record-breaking arrival and previous experience as a skipper at Chelsea, the Argentine will have to wait for his chance to lead the Etihad giants.
Marc Guehi has reflected on his unexpected mid-game tactical deployment in midfield after Manchester City secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The England defender proved instrumental in altering the momentum of the Premier League encounter after shifting into a central holding role.
And so the wait goes on. England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina on Wednesday means their quest for a first international trophy since 1966 will stretch into a seventh decade. The hope is that drought will come to an end in two years' time when the Three Lions co-host the 2028 European Championship, but will England ever again reach a World Cup final, never mind lift the most famous trophy in the sport?
Marc Guehi has appeared to question Thomas Tuchel’s tactical approach following England’s devastating World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Argentina. The Three Lions surrendered a second-half lead in Atlanta, sparking a wave of criticism regarding the manager's decision to retreat into a defensive shell.
Jordan Henderson is on the road to a speedy recovery following a freak accident that saw him break his arm while celebrating England's dramatic 3-2 World Cup win over Mexico. The midfielder slipped and fell over an advertising hoarding at the Azteca Stadium, requiring immediate medical attention. He will now undergo surgery but is set to remain with the squad for the rest of the tournament.
It’s time for the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, which means it’s time for penalty shootout drama. Generally, England have a terrible reputation when it comes to spot-kicks, winning just four of the 11 shootouts they’ve participated in. But the signs suggest the tide is turning, with three of those wins coming in their last four.
England made a winning start to their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, but the performance was a bit mixed, even if the dominant start of the second half will have sent fear through some of the Three Lions' main rivals for global glory. For the most part, Thomas Tuchel seemed to get his selection mostly right. Jude Bellingham more than justified his place in the team, while having Anthony Gordon start so that Marcus Rashford could provide an X-factor off the bench paid off.
England are considered to miss Harry Maguire, amid defensive concerns at the 2026 World Cup, but Danny Mills has explained to GOAL why the Manchester United centre-half has been snubbed for a second time. He was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s initial 26-man squad and - despite leadership questions being asked - was overlooked again when Tino Livramentio withdrew through injury and a replacement needed to be found.
Thomas Tuchel has spent more than a year trying to figure out his best England starting XI, but with the Three Lions about to kick-off their 2026 World Cup campaign, things have remained up in the air until the last few days before England clash with Croatia in Dallas.
