Thomas Tuchel has named his first England squad since taking over as manager, recalling Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford and handing first-time call-ups to Newcastle defender Dan Burn and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly. The 26-man squad will prepare for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley on Friday, March 21st, and Monday, March 24th, respectively (both 19:45 GMT kick-offs).
Rashford, 27, returns to the international fold after impressing on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United. He last played for England in a friendly against Brazil in March 2024. Despite not yet scoring for Villa, he has provided four assists. His previous omission from the England squad under Gareth Southgate was attributed to a dip in form at Manchester United.
Tuchel praised Rashford’s recent performances: “Marcus is on a good way, we thought now we were convinced that it is the right time to push him with his nomination. He has had a huge impact lately for Aston Villa. I was delighted to see his effort against the ball, his effort to be the best team-mate possible, his consistent energy in defence with Aston Villa. There is no doubt about his talent and quality but to see him be so decisive and so involved physically gave me the impression it was the right moment to call him up and give him the extra push that he stays on that level.”
Tuchel has recalled veteran midfielder, Jordan Henderson. The 34 year old last appeared for the national side against Malta, November 2023.
Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah are also in line for potential senior debuts.
Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke, who returned from a two-month injury layoff on Sunday, has been included as support for captain Harry Kane. Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, despite scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists this season, misses out due to a minor knee injury sustained in the Champions League win over Club Brugge.
The squad selection marks a new era for England under Tuchel. The manager, who previously joked about Rashford being “a bit annoying” while in charge of Paris St-Germain in 2020, now includes the forward as a key part of his plans. Rashford’s omission from the Euro 2024 squad and recent Nations League campaigns, coupled with comments from Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim about preferring 63-year-old goalkeeper Jorge Vital, fueled his loan move to Villa.
The full England squad is as follows:
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Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
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Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City)
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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)
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Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
The squad selection signals Tuchel’s intent to blend experience with emerging talent as England embark on their World Cup qualifying campaign.
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