Who Makes Thomas Tuchel's First England Squad Since The World Cup?

Thomas Tuchel names his first England squad since the World Cup semi-final exit to Argentina on Friday 18 September at 10 am, with the Three Lions kicking off their UEFA Nations League League A Group C campaign at home to Spain on 26 September. 

Three more fixtures follow in quick succession: away to Czechia (29 September), away to Croatia (3 October) and home to Czechia again (6 October).

With Sebastian Pocognoli's Scotland squad announced at 28 players earlier this month, SportsBoom has used that number as our working cap and built a stats-led 28 man squad prediction, position by position, using early 2026/27 club form as the primary evidence base. 

With England's pool now primarily spread across four leagues, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and the Premier League, we've judged every contender on their actual current club output rather than assuming one league as the standard. 

Goalkeepers 

Jordan Pickford remains first choice regardless of method. His 91 caps and 47 clean sheets for England dwarf any rival's numbers, and he was the Three Lions' most-used player at the World Cup with 18 appearances. 

James Trafford's £40m move to Leeds United has handed him a genuine No.1 shirt for the first time, and that regular first-team involvement gives him the stats edge over Dean Henderson, whose minutes at Crystal Palace have been more sporadic. Henderson's World Cup involvement and Palace captaincy keep him in the frame as senior cover.

Selected: Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Leeds United), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

Defenders

Arsenal's back line is the standout defensive data point of the early season, and it directly strengthens two England cases. Ezri Konsa's £51m summer move to the Emirates has put him inside a defence that has conceded fewer goals than anyone else in the division's opening weeks, while youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly offers further utility from the same unit in a pinch.

Reece James remains the incumbent right-back, with 28 caps and 2 goals for England, and last season's numbers, 9 clean sheets and 7 goal involvements in 29 Premier League appearances, still stand up as the division's benchmark for an attacking full-back.

Levi Colwill is included on rebuilding rather than raw 2026/27 data. An ACL injury wrote off most of his 2025/26 season, but when fully fit in 2024/25 he started all 35 league games and recorded 116 clearances, comfortably Chelsea's most reliable defensive return that season. He's back in full training and has started Chelsea's pre-season friendlies. Josh Acheampong offers versatility across the back line and has remained involved in Chelsea's matchday squads this term.

Jarrad Branthwaite gets the nod ahead of Trevoh Chalobah on current data alone. Branthwaite has started both of Everton's opening league fixtures (360 minutes, 7.22 average rating) and posted 9 clearances and 2 interceptions in a single outing against Bournemouth as Everton picked up 4 points from their first two games.

Jarell Quansah, now at Bayer Leverkusen, adds further squad versatility: he's made two appearances this season, both at right-back, a role Tuchel has used him in regularly, though he remains a natural centre-back and gives Tuchel cover in both full-back and central defensive roles if needed.

Newcastle's Lewis Hall and Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly complete the full-back options. 

Selected: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Reece James (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Josh Acheampong (Chelsea), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders

Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are selections whose stats can't really be challenged. 

Elliot Anderson's British-record £116m move to Manchester City hasn't yet produced a goal contribution, but the underlying data is compelling: 325 minutes, a 7.67 average rating, and 2 interceptions, 3 tackles and 3 clearances in a single recent City clean sheet. 

Cole Palmer is in career-best early form for Chelsea, with 2 goals, 2 assists, 353 minutes and a 7.83 average rating from his first weeks of the season, while club teammate Morgan Rogers, a £73m summer signing from Aston Villa, has been even sharper: 3 goals, 1 assist, 349 minutes and an 8.04 average rating, including a 3-assist cameo off the bench against Leeds in the EFL Cup.

Eberechi Eze is now into his second season at Arsenal following last year's £69.3m move from Crystal Palace, where he scored 7 goals and won the Premier League title in his first campaign at the club. This season has started more slowly for him individually: just 59 minutes across two Premier League appearances so far, 0 goals and 0 assists, largely used from the bench behind Arsenal's settled front line. He's included here on last season's body of work and squad depth rather than current game time, a genuine question mark for Tuchel given how sparingly he's featured. 

Alex Scott has been repeatedly flagged for a stats-driven bright start at Bournemouth, while Adam Wharton continues to log heavy minutes for Palace.

Kobbie Mainoo is the standout inclusion by recent data. Despite Manchester United's turbulent start to the season, Mainoo has started their last four matches across all competitions, topped the side for touches (83), successful passes (65), defensive contributions (13), and chances created (3) in the Manchester derby, and produced an 8.4-rated display with an assist against Everton on 6 September. His 14 senior caps and World Cup involvement give him the edge over less proven alternatives at this moment.

Selected: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)

Forwards

Harry Kane's inclusion doesn’t need explaining. 85 international goals and four caps shy of Peter Shilton's all-time appearance record makes the point for him regardless. 

Bukayo Saka has been Arsenal's standout attacker this season: 3 goals, 337 minutes and an 8.17 average rating from his four starts, central to a side that's barely conceded. 

Anthony Gordon's numbers at Barcelona are stronger than they first look: 4 assists, 311 minutes and a 7.61 average rating in LaLiga so far, evidence of a smooth transition to Spanish football.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the in-form alternative to Kane at centre-forward, with 10 goals in his most recent full Premier League season at Leeds and 4 goals in 12 caps for England. 

Marcus Rashford is the most stats-conflicted selection in the entire squad: 0 goals and 0 assists in 278 minutes since returning to Manchester United this season, against a 14-goal, 14-assist loan season at Barcelona last term. He's included on proven end product rather than current form, a genuine tension worth watching through the international break. 

Noni Madueke rounds out the group as rotation cover, with 3 goals and 1 assist in a squad role last season at Arsenal.

Selected: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Noni Madueke (Arsenal)