England manager Thomas Tuchel faces scrutiny over Trent Alexander-Arnold omission ahead of World Cup
The 35-man final list sees Ben White and others selected over the Liverpool midfielder, prompting calls for a review of the selection process
Former England captain Wayne Rooney has publicly criticised manager Thomas Tuchel's final squad selection, describing the omission of Trent Alexander-Arnold as "mind-boggling" ahead of the World Cup. The comments come as the national team prepares to depart for the tournament, with the former Liverpool star expressing surprise that the Real Madrid midfielder has been left out despite his regular appearances for the Spanish club since recovering from a thigh injury in January.
Rooney highlighted the specific contradiction of Reece James not being selected due to injury, noting that Ben White, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, and Ezri Konsa were chosen in his place. Alexander-Arnold has not featured for England since appearing off the bench in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra in June 2023, having been overlooked for the last four squads. Rooney argued that while he holds no disrespect for White, a fantastic player, it is baffling for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Alexander-Arnold.
Phil Jagielka, Rooney's former Everton team-mate, has backed Alexander-Arnold's inclusion, stating that if the Liverpool star can play even half as well as he did during his time at Anfield, he deserves a place in the squad. Jagielka suggested that if Reece James is fit, he should be selected at right-back, though Rooney indicated he would personally prefer James despite describing the Chelsea defender as "unreliable" defensively.
The selection process has seen Tuchel continue to experiment with fringe players during recent friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. Manchester City's Phil Foden was utilised as a false nine against Japan in the absence of Harry Kane, while the right-back spot saw Ben White start both games, scoring England's opener in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay. Rooney noted that while he admires Tuchel's approach to testing players, the final squad should have been decided earlier to avoid such uncertainty.
On the left flank, Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly and Newcastle's Lewis Hall are widely regarded as the current frontrunners for the left-back position. Jagielka noted that while O'Reilly has been exceptional for Pep Guardiola's side, he requires defensive improvement to become England's first-choice left-back, as he often gets caught out of position. Rooney previously supported Luke Shaw as the preferred option, citing his defensive solidity compared to the attacking capabilities of modern full-backs.
England are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, followed by matches against Ghana and Panama. The tournament will be hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the USA, marking a significant shift in the venue for the global competition. The final group fixture against Panama is set for 27 June in New Jersey, concluding the initial phase of the tournament.
