The head coach has urged his players to put "another star on the jersey" with World Cup glory, and here's who he should select to start that journey
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For the first time since November 2011, some 13-and-a-half years ago, the England men's team will be led into battle by a foreign manager this Friday when Albania come to town. Following three permanent domestic appointments, the Football Association chose to buck that trend with the win-now hire of Thomas Tuchel.
The remit for the experienced, tactically-savvy German is clear – win the 2026 World Cup. The window of contention is wide open for a new 'golden generation', one that can already boast crucial tournament experience.
Tuchel will be welcomed by a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Friday, and after he announced his first squad last week, attention now turns to which players will be named in his maiden starting XI. With key figures such as Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and John Stones missing through injury, the visit of Albania will also allow those on the fringes to make a solid first impression.
Here's how we at GOAL think Tuchel set out his stall on Friday…
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPGK: Jordan Pickford
"These are the four goalkeepers we think we will build our squad on," Tuchel said on England's YouTube channel when explaining his rationale behind the selections of Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson and James Trafford. "They compete, and we want straight away to give the message that this is a new start for everyone. At the same time, see also how they work together, how the energy is between them."
Every few months, the country tricks itself into thinking Pickford's spot as undisputed No.1 is at risk, and though Tuchel has only fanned those flames with this statement, the Everton shot-stopper should have little to worry about.
He remains the Three Lions' best goalkeeper by a considerable distance and has seldom let the team down before. The hope moving forward is Tuchel feeds him instructions beyond 'kick the ball as far as you bloody can', which seemed to be Sir Gareth Southgate's message during the ill-fated Euro 2024 final.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Reece James
Under Tuchel's guidance at Chelsea, Reece James became one of the world's leading wing-backs. When he suffered a hamstring injury midway through the 2021-22 season, that's when the German's record at Stamford Bridge started to decline, such was his importance.
James has, surprisingly, scarcely played as an orthodox right-back over the last few years, and is now anchoring Enzo Maresca's midfield in west London. Nevertheless, there's an opportunity for him to make this spot his own, if it isn't already in Tuchel's mind. Alexander-Arnold's own fitness issues have left the door ajar for James to add to the meagre 16 caps he's earned with England so far.
Whether James will be fit or not for next summer's tournament – or any of the international windows before then – is a question clouded in uncertainty, but for now, Tuchel has confirmed he has 'double and triple-checked' with the 25-year-old over how he feels at the moment, and he is ready to go.
AFPCB: Marc Guehi
Believe it or not, there's actually some brief overlap between Tuchel and Marc Guehi. The centre-back's loan at Swansea City came to an end just as the German's Chelsea lifted the 2021 Champions League, but Guehi was sold to Crystal Palace a couple of weeks into the following pre-season. How the Blues must be wishing to reverse that decision to this day…
Guehi, still only 24, now stands as one of England's most reliable options in the heart of defence, having started all but one game at Euro 2024. At club level, he has inherited the captain's armband and is regularly linked with £70m moves away from Selhurst Park owing to his pedigree.
Stones and Harry Maguire, Southgate's preferred centre-back partnership throughout his tenure, are both absent from Tuchel's first squad. While he may be trying to lean on older heads, Guehi fits the bill as an experienced and wise defender.
Getty Images SportCB: Dan Burn
The main character of English football this week has unquestionably been Dan Burn. As if being named as the most surprising selection in Tuchel's squad – bar maybe the jump-scare re-inclusion of Jordan Henderson – wasn't enough, he then had to go and drag his boyhood club, Newcastle United, to their first trophy in 70 years.
"He's a very solid defender and a leader in the group," Tuchel rationalised prior to Burn's cup-final exploits. "I have spoken to Dan and it was a very impressive phone call with very impressive messages that made me very comfortable in this call-up that we have picked a top team player that will help us build the right team."
At 32, Burn is hardly getting any younger, rather he falls into the age bracket Tuchel would like to lean on to bring nous and savviness to his side. That said, Burn could do with some actual international experience if he's going to be a serious candidate to go to the World Cup – he's almost the inverse of Guehi in this sense – and so should be in the line up from the off to start this journey.
