England manager Thomas Tuchel has made a series of bold and surprising decisions in his latest squad announcement for the September World Cup qualifiers, with several high-profile names being left out.
Your 24 #ThreeLions players for September camp! 📋
— England (@England) August 29, 2025
The omissions, which include Premier League winning stars and recent transfer headliners, signal a new era under the German coach, who is clearly not afraid to make big calls.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the headline absentee.
The 26-year-old, who made a high-profile move from Liverpool to Real Madrid this summer, has been dropped from the squad after an underwhelming start to his La Liga career.
Tuchel had previously warned Alexander-Arnold to improve his defensive discipline, and his decision to drop the Real Madrid star is a clear message that he demands a "single-minded focus" on the defensive side of his game.
The move is a shock to fans, who have seen Alexander-Arnold as an England regular for years.
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Another major omission is Jack Grealish.
The Everton winger, who recently secured a season-long loan move from Manchester City, has been left out of the squad despite impressing in his first two games for the Toffees.
Grealish's omission, which is the second in a row for the Everton winger, is a clear sign that Tuchel is still not convinced by his form, even though he has delivered two assists for his new club.
While some of the omissions are a surprise, others are due to injury. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were both left out of the squad after suffering injuries in the opening weeks of the Premier League season.
Phil Foden and Kyle Walker, who have both been in the England squad in the past, were also left out.
The omissions have opened the door for a number of young, exciting players to make their mark.
Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) and Djed Spence (Tottenham) have both been called up to the senior squad for the first time, and their inclusion is a testament to their impressive form in the early weeks of the new season.
The squad announcement has sparked a debate on social media, with fans and pundits questioning Tuchel's decisions.
But for the German coach, the message is clear: form, fitness, and tactical discipline are the only things that matter, and even the biggest names in English football are not immune to being dropped.
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