England news

Manchester United youngster Ayden Heaven has been handed a surprise opportunity to impress Thomas Tuchel after being drafted into England senior training. The teenage defender was originally selected for the Under-20 squad but has now found himself rubbing shoulders with the nation's elite at St George's Park.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has caused a stir by omitting Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer from his predicted England starting line-up for the 2026 World Cup. The former Three Lions striker has instead opted for a selection based on current form and tactical balance.

The Football Association has come under fire for their "desperate" decision to hand Thomas Tuchel a contract extension before he has even led England into a major tournament. Former Three Lions midfielder Danny Murphy has questioned the logic behind the move, suggesting the FA has left itself wide open to a PR disaster if the 2026 World Cup ends in failure.

Former England manager Fabio Capello has issued a scathing assessment of the Three Lions' mental fortitude, claiming that the squad is consistently held back by a paralysing "fear" on the big stage. The Italian tactician, who experienced his own World Cup heartbreak in 2010, warned Thomas Tuchel that psychological barriers and physical exhaustion remain the primary threats to England's hopes of ending their long wait for silverware.

Harry Maguire has revealed the emotional toll of his period away from the England squad, admitting that his mother was moved to tears upon hearing news of his recall. The Man Utd defender feared his international days were over after a lengthy absence from the Three Lions set-up.

Declan Rice is being held up as the perfect role model for England international team-mate Adam Wharton, with the Crystal Palace midfielder having one obvious area of his game to address. The 22-year-old playmaker is considered to be one of the Premier League’s hottest prospects, but he is yet to score a goal for the Eagles. Clinton Morrison has addressed that shock statistic with GOAL and explained who Wharton needs to look at for inspiration.

England will head to the World Cup this summer as one of the favourites to lift the trophy after a run of strong tournament showings by a still relatively young core group of players. Football, though, moves fast, and soon there will be new stars who come along and usurp those established names. Fortunately for the Three Lions, the production line is showing few signs of slowing down.

And then there were 35. Thomas Tuchel's decision to name an expanded squad of players that will be split into two for England's final two games on home soil before the World Cup was the latest sign that the German is taking a very different approach to his predecessors as he bids to become the first coach since Alf Ramsey to win a trophy with the Three Lions.

During an interview with Sky Sports in October 2024, Trent Alexander-Arnold was asked about his remaining career goals and whether he would rather win another Champions League, become Liverpool captain, lift a trophy with England or win the Ballon d'Or. The right-back went with the latter, the most unrealistic - and unimportant - option.

Arsenal sensation Max Dowman has been tipped for a glittering international career, though England's coaching staff are wary of accelerating his transition to the senior stage too quickly. The 16-year-old has taken the Premier League by storm, rewriting history books and catching the eye of Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.

Trent Alexander-Arnold made his England debut in 2018 but has only taken his tally of caps to 34, with Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel taking to snubbing Real Madrid’s former Liverpool defender on a regular basis. Michael Owen, who also spent time at Anfield and Santiago Bernabeu in his playing days, has told GOAL why the buccaneering full-back may have seen his 2026 World Cup dream dashed.

Ollie Watkins has revealed he expected to be left out of the England squad for March's friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. The Aston Villa striker has struggled for form throughout the 2025-26 season so far but has bounced back with recent goals against West Ham United and Lille and could yet be included in the Three Lions' roster for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Arsenal's Ben White has been added to the England squad for the upcoming March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. The defender, and Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes, will replace Eberechi Eze and Jarell Quansah, who have both had to pull out after sustaining recent injuries. White last played for the Three Lions in 2022 and was included in that year's World Cup squad but left Qatar for personal reasons.