Thomas Tuchel has done the thing England managers are usually warned not to do, he has left out star names and said the team matters more than the individuals. He had to whittle a 55-man squad down for the World Cup, and the headline decisions were to leave out Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire and Phil Foden. The World Cup begins on June 11, and England's first match is against Croatia on June 17 in Arlington, Texas.
Why the Ramsey comparison keeps coming up
The historical comparison is obvious enough. Grant Bage said Tuchel's words could have come straight from the mouth of Sir Alf, while Tuchel's own explanation was blunt: "We are trying to build the best team... not to select the 26 most talented players." He also said, "From day one, we are trying to select and build the best possible team. Which is not necessarily to select the 26 most talented players. Teams win championships."
That is why the Ramsey link has stuck. Bage argued that Ramsey "didn't pick the best individual 22 players in his 1966 squad, he picked those who would win England the World Cup." Ramsey's own line in the brief is even clearer: "I don't pick the best players, Jack. I pick the best team for my plan to win the World Cup."
But the comparison should be kept in its lane. It is a useful historical frame, not evidence that Tuchel is repeating 1966 in any literal sense. The real point is more basic, and more modern: this is a squad picked for roles, not for reputation.
Why Palmer was the sharpest omission
Palmer is the one who makes the selection feel most pointed. Tuchel said he suffers from a lack of individual form at Chelsea, adding that he was not as decisive or as influential as he had been in previous seasons. He also said Palmer had not been very influential with England and that his record was not good enough to make him a guaranteed pick. "It was one of my most difficult phone calls," Tuchel said.
The numbers back the form argument more than the reputation argument. Palmer has 25 Premier League appearances in 2025, 9 league goals and only 1 league assist. He also has a 7.01 Premier League rating. Those are not bad figures, but they do not force Tuchel's hand.
The wider club picture does some work too. Chelsea sit 10th in the Premier League, their last five league results are DLLLL, and they have scored 55 league goals. Palmer has not carried a side that is running cleanly, even if he has still produced moments. He dominated the Club World Cup final in North American heat last summer, and he scored 3 goals with a 7.9 rating in that competition. That is why the omission feels severe, but Tuchel's point is about consistency across the season, not ceiling in isolated games.
England's tournament schedule only sharpens that view. The group stage is short, the turnaround is tight, and Tuchel is clearly asking for players who fit immediately. On those terms, Palmer was judged and found short of the cut.
What Tuchel is really saying about the squad
This is not a manager hiding behind vague team-talk. Tuchel has been direct about what he wants. The chosen squad is being built around balance, influence and unselfishness, and the absent names tell the story better than any polished announcement ever could.
That does not make the call easy to accept if you rate Palmer highly. It does make it coherent. Tuchel is not picking the 26 names that create the loudest reaction. He is picking the group he thinks can work as a tournament team, and that is exactly why the next England game matters so quickly. If the logic holds, England start against Croatia on June 17 with a squad that fits the manager's idea of how a World Cup should be won.
FAQ
Why did Thomas Tuchel leave Cole Palmer out of the England World Cup squad?
Tuchel said Palmer was left out because of a lack of individual form at Chelsea and because he was not influential enough with England. He also said Palmer was never a problem in camp and that there were plenty of arguments for including him, but the squad was built around the best team rather than the most talented 26 names.
Is Thomas Tuchel copying Sir Alf Ramsey with his England World Cup squad?
The comparison is being made because both managers favoured balance and tournament fit over reputation. Grant Bage said Tuchel's words could have come from Sir Alf, while Tuchel himself said England are trying to build the best team, not simply select the 26 most talented players. It is an analogy, not proof of a literal repeat.
How many players did Thomas Tuchel have to cut before naming the England World Cup squad?
Tuchel had to whittle a 55-man squad down for the World Cup. England begin the tournament on June 11 and open against Croatia on June 17 in Arlington, Texas, so the selection was always going to be about function and not just reputation.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
