Thomas Tuchel explains why Phil Foden was left out of the 2026 World Cup squad
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has explained why Manchester City star Phil Foden was left out of the World Cup squad. The German manager stated that uncertainty regarding the player's specific position on the pitch and tactical considerations were the basis for this difficult decision. Tuchel believes that taking the versatile attacker to North America and playing him in an unfamiliar position could have negatively impacted the team environment. This is reported by Goal.com .
The 25-year-old playmaker became the most shocking omission from the list announced on Friday. Along with him, stars such as Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, and Trent Alexander-Arnold also failed to make the final squad. Phil Foden, who has made 49 appearances for the national team since his debut in 2020, lost his place due to an inconsistent season with Manchester City and scoring only 7 goals in the Premier League.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Tuchel said: "The situation with Phil is a bit different. He showed himself in training, but lost his form in the decisive part of the season. I am not sure what his exact position on the pitch is: is he a number 10, a 'false nine', or will he play as a number 8 like Bernardo Silva in the future? I don't see him on the wing, so there is no point in playing a player in a position he doesn't want and making him unhappy."
In the new system under Tuchel, the central attacking midfield role has been entrusted to Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers. Phil Foden has only started once under Tuchel since January. Now, the England national team continues preparations for the group stage, where they will face opponents like Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
The "Three Lions" will begin the tournament on June 17 with a match against Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Phil Foden, who was left out of the squad, is expected to recover mentally during the summer break and prepare for the new season with Manchester City.
