Tuchel drops Palmer, Foden, Mainoo; hands Jobe Bellingham England debut call-up
England boss Thomas Tuchel has axed Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Kobbie Mainoo from his Nations League squad for games against Croatia and Spain later this month. In their place, he's handed first senior call-ups to Jobe Bellingham—Jude's 19-year-old brother at Sunderland—and Fulham midfielder Josh King.
The 23-man squad sees Jordan Pickford, Jason Steele and James Trafford as goalkeepers. Defence includes Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben White, Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite. Midfield gets Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze plus newcomers Jobe Bellingham and Josh King. Up front: Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers and 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
Tuchel's selections signal a shift toward younger, in-form Premier League players. Palmer and Foden's omission is notable given their club form—both could use the rest. For Nigerian fans, keep an eye on Eze (Nigerian-eligible) and Gibbs-White (also eligible) getting consistent senior minutes.
England face Croatia on November 14 and Spain on November 17. Will Tuchel's youth gamble pay off against top-tier opposition, or do England need proven tournament performers?