Thomas Tuchel Sparks Massive Backlash With England World Cup Squad Reveal

Thomas Tuchel has only two options this summer: succeed at the World Cup or never set foot in the country of England again.

Those are the stakes laid out for the manager of the English national team as he revealed his roster for the upcoming World Cup, kicking off in three weeks.

Although the players selected were leaked online and reported on by multiple reporters the day before the roster was officially announced in collaboration with The Beatles, the backlash for Tuchel’s selections hasn’t stopped over the past 48 hours.

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One of the biggest decisions for Tuchel was leaving out young star Cole Palmer from Chelsea, who, a year ago, seemed not only a guarantee to make the squad but also one of the primary faces as England looked to win their first World Cup since 1966.

Tuchel opened up about his controversial decision, giving the primary reason why Palmer was left out.

“Cole Palmer wasn't as decisive as in previous seasons,” the English manager said. “He wasn't available for us a lot and wasn't decisive."

When asked in a presser about the configuration of his roster and leaving off some big names such as Palmer, Phil Foden, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the German tactician preached that “teams win championships,” over singular talents.

English supporters online, though, are having a difficult time accepting the decisions made by the former Champions League-winning manager.

Tuchel and England will kick off their World Cup campaign on June 16th, when they take on old rivals Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 3:14 PM.