Thomas Tuchel has blinked, and England fans have noticed. Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold, both left out of the World Cup squad, are back in the fold for the Nations League camp. The first test is a big one: world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday, 26 September.
Why Palmer and Alexander-Arnold Are Back
Alexander-Arnold returns for the first time since June 2025, and Tuchel has made eight changes to his 27-man group. Palmer has earned his place with four goals and two assists so far this season. Tuchel says the Chelsea man has his numbers back and now has a point to prove.
Alexander-Arnold’s recall is the bigger surprise. Tuchel insists he was never non-selectable, but he must fight for his place, and he comes in as a right-back. Sky Sports notes the Real Madrid defender has one assist in five appearances and has had to compete for his club spot with summer signing Denzel Dumfries.
Who Else Made the England Squad
Liverpool’s 18-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha and uncapped Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott are in. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite gets his first call-up since Tuchel’s appointment, with recalls for Lewis Hall, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The big names missing are Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton, along with World Cup squad members Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Noni Madueke. Reece James, John Stones and Jordan Henderson are out injured.
England vs Spain: The World Champions Come to Wembley
Spain won the World Cup final 1-0 after extra time. England, third-place finishers, conceded two late goals in a painful semi-final defeat by Argentina. Tuchel calls the Spain game a new beginning and says he is glad to welcome the world champions as home guests. His stated target is to win the home Euros in 2028.
England are in Group 1C with Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic. The fixtures, per Sky Sports:
- Saturday 26 September: Spain (home), 7.45pm
- Tuesday 29 September: Czech Republic (away)
- Saturday 3 October: Croatia (away)
- Tuesday 6 October: Czech Republic (home)
Fan Reaction and the Pressure on Tuchel
Reaction from Sky Sports readers is split. Some say this is the squad Tuchel should have picked for the World Cup, and one argues the recalls amount to an admission that he got the selection wrong. Sky’s Kaveh Solhekol says this is a better and more balanced squad, but Tuchel still has plenty to prove.
There is also a real threat of relegation in the new Nations League format. A bottom-two finish in the group can send a side to a play-off or straight down to League B.
What to Watch For
The big questions are simple. Does Alexander-Arnold start at right-back ahead of Tino Livramento? Can Palmer fit alongside Morgan Rogers, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane? Palmer arrives fresh from a 3-0 defeat at Brentford, so he has extra motivation.
England have a chance to turn the World Cup heartbreak into momentum. Tuchel has made his bold call, and now the players must repay his faith on the pitch. A win over Spain would silence plenty of critics.
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