Thomas Tuchel reveals plans to phone 60 unselected England players as Three Lions boss sets out plans for 2026 World Cup squad

Tuchel’s openness has given hope to a significant group of players who find themselves hovering on the fringes. Luke Shaw, Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker, and Alexander-Arnold, all seasoned tournament figures, are among those expecting a call. Even Danny Welbeck, whose last England appearance came in 2018, is making a fresh push to return, helped by a campaign of revived domestic form. 

"First of all, it's my job now to make contact with everyone, players like Trent," Tuchel said when asked about Alexander-Arnold. 

The reference to Alexander-Arnold was no accident. The Real Madrid defender did not feature in Albania, with former Liverpool teammate Jarell Quansah handed a full debut at right-back. It was a decision Tuchel justified by praising the youngster’s athleticism, build-up quality and consistency since the Under-21 Euros.  

"Of course I have a lot of trust in Jarell," he said. "I see his talent, but I see the package. He is tall, he is fast, he is strong in build-up. He is strong in the air. I saw him playing very strong for Liverpool in this position [right-back], so I always wanted to try. And he plays every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, so he is at the moment a tiny bit ahead."

Tuchel laughs at the length of his "to-call" list, but insists it is necessary. 

"Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here," he said. "Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve. Can they even do something or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months."

However, the manager is not a fan of making calls and added: "Yeah, and I hate phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training, training grounds. We can do group visits. We can do Jude [Bellingham] and Trent. And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see. Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback."

The England manager appeared almost wistful as he reflected on the end of their final camp of the year, describing how deeply he has connected with the squad.

"It hurts me honestly," he said after sending the squad off on Sunday. "I told the players, 'I have to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now, I cannot believe it and in my heart, everything in me wants to be with you guys in Wednesday again on the sidelines and fight on Saturday again' and they sucked me into all of this. This is just amazing. It will be very, very tough for me to not have a match until March."   

Bellingham’s place in Tuchel’s long-term plans is not in question. The issue is not inclusion, but impact. The Real Madrid playmaker, making his first England start since rejoining the squad under Tuchel, was seen waving his arms in frustration after being substituted for Morgan Rogers against Albania. Tuchel has an abundance of creators, from Phil Foden to Cole Palmer to Bukayo Saka, and determining who starts in a major tournament knockout match is a decision he is happy to delay. The next four months and the next England camp will help clarify that picture. For now, Tuchel is focused on communication and accountability.