The new Three Lions boss rewarded some of the nation's most loyal servants but also ignored the brilliant form of some of its brightest young talents
Lionel Messi's first club was Newell's Old Boys and on Friday the nation was treated to Thomas Tuchel's Old Boys as the new England coach reassembled a cast of forgotten men in his first ever squad announcement. Marcus Rashford's return to the squad had been on the cards after his encouraging start with Aston Villa but no one was expecting the 34-year-old Jordan Henderson to return to the fold, or for Kyle Walker to be given another shot in international football after his litany of big mistakes for Manchester City earlier in the season.
But the trio who first played together at Euro 2016 will be reunited when the England squad meets at St George's Park next week to prepare for their first two World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. Age was also not a barrier to newcomers, as Dan Burn received a first call-up to an England side at any level at the ripe age of 32. There is some young blood, however, with Myles Lewis-Skelly continuing his dream first season in senior football by being included in a Three Lions squad for the first time.
Tuchel explained that the inclusion of Henderson, Walker and Burn were part of his plans to create a unified team spirit for the 2026 World Cup, which will mark 60 years since England last won a major trophy. "Football in general and maybe even more international football is about team spirit, it is about building a team that loves to play with each other, that transports the spirit to the fans, the nation and the country," he said. "It is about building a brotherhood so we cannot only do it with young players and we cannot only do with experienced players. It has to be a good balance and a good mix in my opinion and that’s what we’re trying to do."
There was, however, no place in Tuchel's band of brothers for a number of players who have been producing their very best football recently. And the German's decision to welcome back a number of familiar names into the squad must have felt like a real sleight towards the players who did not earn a recall, particularly to Jack Grealish, who must now urgently seek an exit from Manchester City if he ever wants to play for his country again.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Tuchel's first squad announcement…
AFPWINNER: Marcus Rashford
It is less than two months since Ruben Amorim declared he would rather pick his 63-year-old, overweight goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital than Marcus Rashford due to the forward's attitude in training. Those incredible remarks seemed to have sounded the death knell for Rashford's career at the top but they have turned out to be the catalyst for the striker's remarkable revival, which feels almost complete after getting this England recall.
Rashford has been revitalised at Aston Villa. He has looked switched on, lively and rediscovered his electric pace. And his performances in training have stunned his team-mates, making a mockery of Amorim's assessment. His return to the England squad is fully deserved and it should serve to keep him motivated and focused. It is also good news for England fans on a number of levels.
Rashford was part of the squad for every major tournament between Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup and it is great to see him back after being dropped for Euro 2024. He could not really complain about being discarded last summer following his huge dip in form but he has knuckled down in the last two months and earned his ticket back into the squad. Rashford has proved particularly effective coming off the bench for Villa and if England need an injection of pace in their qualifiers, they know where to turn.
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Thomas Tuchel
A new manager normally brings fresh ideas and fresh players with him, but Tuchel's first squad feels like a leap back into the past. No England fan in the world expected or wanted to see Henderson back in the side, while Walker's return also feels strange to anyone who watched his dismal performances for Manchester City in the first half of the season.
Granted, there are some fresh faces such as Lewis-Skelly and Burn, but the newcomers are outweighed by the long list of in-form players (see more on them below) who did not make the cut. Tuchel had already made himself unpopular with certain sections of the English media by starting the job in January, staying away from the last round of internationals and missing several weekends of Premier League action as part of a 'work from home' arrangement. Some of that criticism, admittedly, has been laughable.
But his selections matter far more and his first squad certainly raises plenty of questions.
Getty WINNERS: Kyle Walker & Jordan Henderson
Leaving the Premier League to play abroad is often risky for a player's England career as you drop out of the national consciousness. Unless, of course, you play for Real Madrid. So Henderson and Walker must be pleasantly surprised to have returned to the squad despite leaving England.
Henderson's recall is the hardest to understand as his career has been in the wilderness since he made the ill-judged move to leave Liverpool and join Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia. His return to Europe showed a willingness to get back in the England picture but after making a nightmare start at Ajax and losing the trust of the ever-loyal Southgate, his Three Lions career seemed finished. And while his return is hard to fathom for many England fans and pundits, it is a personal victory for him and a reward for the positive example he sets to team-mates, which Tuchel pointed to as he highlighted the 34-year-old's "character, personality and energy".
Walker must also be delighted to have gotten the nod after being made the main scapegoat of City's terrible season, vindicating his decision to go for a fresh start and join AC Milan on loan. The player's turbulent private life has remained in the spotlight after his antics in a Milan nightclub so he must be relieved that he is back in the news at home for footballing reasons.
Getty LOSER: Jack Grealish's international career
When he heard that Tuchel was getting the band back together, Jack Grealish must have got his hopes up of a call from Tuchel. But the German's generosity has not extended to the City winger, who looks like he might have played his last game in international football. Grealish was devastated at missing out on Euro 2024 although he looked like he still had plenty to give the Three Lions after a stunning performance in Lee Carsley's first game in charge against Ireland and scoring in the next round of fixtures against Finland.
Since then Grealish has had to contend with niggling injuries and being reduced to an even smaller role at City due to the emergence of Savinho, the resurgence of Jeremy Doku and the arrival of Omar Marmoush. His only reliable source of starts is now the FA Cup and the sad truth is that his current form and fitness struggles do not warrant a return to the England squad, especially given the sheer competition for places.
Grealish's exclusion should serve as a final wake-up call for him to follow Rashford's example and leave City in the summer in the hope of rebooting his career elsewhere. He could even follow the Henderson and Walker playbook and try his hand at another league in Europe, boost his form and confidence and try to play his way back into the Three Lions squad.