Officially appointed as England manager in January 2025, Thomas Tuchel has unveiled his first squad selection for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, set to take place at Wembley on 21 and 24 March. The former Bayern Munich boss has made some notable decisions in his opening squad, including first-time call-ups and high-profile returns. Among the 26 players selected, Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle defender Dan Burn receive their maiden senior call-ups at very different stages of their careers, 18 for the former, 32 for the latter. Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford return to the national team after absences from recent squads.
Fresh faces: Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn.
One of the standout inclusions in Tuchel’s first squad is Myles Lewis-Skelly, a symbol of youth and ambition in the German’s England setup. At just 18, the Arsenal left-back has impressed under Mikel Arteta, earning his place thanks to a series of solid performances. Having risen through England’s youth ranks, he now takes his first step into the senior squad. On the other end of the spectrum, Dan Burn’s selection comes as a major surprise. At 32, the Newcastle defender earns his first-ever England call-up, having never featured at any level for the national team. A key figure for the Magpies this season with 27 Premier League appearances, Burn has taken advantage of injuries in the defensive ranks to seize his opportunity. Additionally, James Trafford and Jarell Quansah will be hoping to win their first caps after previously being called up without making an appearance.
England’s 26-man squad :
Goalkeepers :
- Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
- Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton)
- James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders :
- Dan Burn (Newcastle United)
- Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
- Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
- Tino Livramento (Newcastle United)
- Jarell Quansah (Liverpool)
- Kyle Walker (AC Milan, on loan from Manchester City)
Midfielders :
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
- Jordan Henderson (Ajax)
- Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards :
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
- Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, on loan from Manchester United)
- Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
