Full-backs, forwards and fitness problems – Thomas Tuchel has some World Cup selection headaches to deal with

England have cruised through their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, winning all six of their Group K matches without conceding a goal, but that was the easy part for manager Thomas Tuchel.

Finalising his selection for next summer's tournament looks a more difficult task even if, as Fifa are reportedly considering, squads are expanded from 26 players to 30.

The betting suggests that goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, striker Harry Kane and Arsenal stars Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are bankers while back-up keeper Dean Henderson and his Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi are also long odds-on to make the plane.

Guehi, along with Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope and winger Anthony Gordon, pulled out of the squad for England's final two qualifiers and Tuchel has recalled Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham and Manchester City's Phil Foden.

We have picked out five World Cup hopefuls who need to impress the England manager over the next few months.

Cole Palmer 

1-3 to make England's World Cup squad

Cole Palmer capped an extraordinary 2023-24 campaign by scoring England's goal in their Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain but injury has hampered the Chelsea star this term.

Palmer's role in qualifying was restricted to 64 minutes against Andorra in June although he starred in Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph in the USA the following month.

The 1-3 that he returns to North America with the Three Lions next summer may tempt big hitters even though a persistent groin injury has sidelined him since September 20.

At his best, Palmer is an absolute gem: a prolific scorer and creator of goals and an ice-cold penalty taker. However, England are hardly short of attacking-midfield options – the recalled Foden is 1-2 to be in the squad – and Tuchel will want to see the Chelsea star fit and firing as soon as possible.  

Myles Lewis-Skelly

4-6 to make the squad

Myles Lewis-Skelly had a remarkable breakout season in 2024-25. In October 2024 he was playing for Arsenal Under-21s in an EFL Trophy draw at MK Dons and five months later he scored England's first goal of the Tuchel era on his debut against Albania.

But the teenager's fairytale rise has stalled a little this term. Riccardo Calafiori has been preferred at left-back for Arsenal and Lewis-Skelly has made only seven substitute appearances in the Premier League.

He was left out of Tuchel's latest squad, with uncapped Manchester City left-back Nico O'Reilly coming in, and Newcastle's Lewis Hall – another left-footer – should return to action soon after a long injury layoff. 

Tino Livramento and the much improved Djed Spence are capable of playing at left- or right-back and Dan Burn, a Tuchel favourite, is a 6ft 7in obstacle in Lewis-Skelly's path.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

5-6 to make the squad

The ghost at the feast in terms of England's full-back debate is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was again overlooked by the England manager this month.

Booed at Anfield during Real Madrid's Champions League defeat last week, Alexander-Arnold has played only 26 minutes under Tuchel – 75 fewer than veteran Kyle Walker, who is 9-1 to go to the World Cup.

Playing for Real offers Trent a high-profile stage on which to make his case for selection but a hamstring injury restricted his early-season opportunities in Madrid.

Bet365 are keeping Alexander-Arnold onside at 4-7 in their World Cup squad betting but Tuchel clearly prefers Chelsea's Reece James, who is 1-2 despite his poor injury record.

Adam Wharton

10-11 to make the squad

Arsenal's Rice and Real Madrid's Bellingham should fill two of the central-midfield spots. Bellingham's omission from the October internationals made plenty of headlines but he was still recovering from shoulder surgery and, now back in the fold, is 1-6 to go to the World Cup.

Jordan Henderson's England recall in March was a surprise although Tuchel's decision has been vindicated by the veteran's Premier League form for Brentford.

Henderson's leadership qualities are valued in the England set-up but Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson could have a bigger role on the field, having caught the eye in 5-0 away wins against Serbia and Latvia.

Like Anderson, Eberechi Eze has seized his opportunity during qualifying and is capable of dropping into a deeper midfield role if required.

Eze's former Crystal Palace teammate Adam Wharton is an interesting price at 10-11. Gareth Southgate fast-tracked Wharton into the Euro 2024 squad and his passing prowess could sap the energy of England's opponents in sweltering conditions next summer.

Having missed out on selection last month, when Tuchel assured him he was "close" to making the squad, he is back for the Serbia and Albania games and will be eager to make a big impression. 

Jarrod Bowen

Evens to make the squad

Ollie Watkins has been inked in as Kane's understudy for a while but the Aston Villa striker is out to 4-5, having been dropped by England after a slow start to the club season.

Marcus Rashford's loan move to Barcelona is a major concern for Watkins and West Ham's Jarrod Bowen is another versatile forward who can play as a winger or through the middle.

Bowen appeared in four of England's first six qualifiers and is in the squad again although Arsenal winger Noni Madueke, sidelined with a knee injury, is a slightly shorter price than him to make the cut.    

Everton's Jack Grealish is 2-1 and strikers Dominic Solanke (6-1), Ivan Toney (6-1), Liam Delap (7-1) and Danny Welbeck (8-1) need to do something special to gatecrash Tuchel's squad.

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