Thomas Tuchel has made a significant decision by recalling Marcus Rashford to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers in March. This marks the first squad announcement by Tuchel since he took over as England head coach. The Three Lions are set to face Albania and Latvia at Wembley as part of their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign.
Rashford had been left out by new Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim in December but has impressed with his performances since joining Aston Villa on loan in January. His strong form has earned him a well-deserved return to the England fold, having last represented the national team as a substitute in March of the previous year during a friendly against Brazil at Wembley.
In another surprising development, Jordan Henderson has been called back to the squad. The Ajax midfielder’s last appearance for England came in November 2023 during a match against Malta. Meanwhile, there are notable exclusions, with Conor Gallagher, who scored midweek against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Adam Wharton not making the cut.
Kyle Walker, who moved from Manchester City to AC Milan in January, has been included in Tuchel’s squad as well. In a fresh addition, Myles Lewis-Skelly has earned his first senior call-up. The Arsenal midfielder, who can also play as a left-back, has never featured for the England U21 team but has represented the country at lower youth levels. Newcastle defender Dan Burn also gets his first inclusion, despite never having played for England at any level. Additionally, Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers makes a return after making his senior debut in November.
One notable aspect of the squad is the inclusion of just two recognized strikers: Harry Kane and Dominic Solanke. Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who had been in contention for a spot, has missed out due to a minor knee issue. Both Watkins and Tuchel agreed that the player should take a break during the international period to recover fully.
Several other players are also absent due to injury, including Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Hall, and Bukayo Saka, further shaping the composition of this squad.
