England's Shocking Squad Decision: Injured Bellingham Makes Cut While Red-Hot Alexander-Arnold Gets Snubbed
For the first time in twenty years, Real Madrid feature two English players in their senior squad. One was a starter in both matches of their commanding 5–1 aggregate Champions League triumph over Manchester City, while the other remained sidelined as a spectator after seven weeks recovering from injury.
Surprisingly, England boss Thomas Tuchel selected the injured Jude Bellingham while once again overlooking Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Tuchel clarified that excluding Real Madrid's right-back was a "sporting decision," despite Alexander-Arnold finding some of his finest form since his summer transfer to the Spanish capital. The manager directly named three players he considers better fits for his tactical approach.
Bellingham's selection was particularly unexpected, considering recent reports focused on concerning complications in his recovery from the first significant muscle injury of his promising career. Tuchel provided his reasoning for this choice as well.
Thomas Tuchel Reveals Special Plan for Jude Bellingham
Bellingham was visibly emotional after collapsing and grabbing his left leg during a 2–1 victory against Rayo Vallecano on Feb. 1. The hamstring problem was originally projected to sideline the 22-year-old for four weeks, but complications extended that timeline to two months. Even with his squad inclusion, Bellingham is anticipated to miss Real's Madrid derby against Atlético this Sunday.
Nevertheless, Tuchel emphasized that Bellingham's call-up wasn't an instance of club-country conflict. "Everyone shared the same objective, which isn't always the situation," he noted.
"I desired Jude in camp, Jude wished to join camp, and Real Madrid supports his participation because we can offer team training sessions for him, which proves challenging since Real Madrid is essentially on international break."
Bellingham was scheduled to return at club level in April, and England can provide superior training partners compared to the youth players remaining at Madrid's facilities while the senior squad disperses globally for international commitments. Whether Bellingham will actually feature against Uruguay or Japan remains uncertain.
"We will advance his integration into team sessions," Tuchel explained. "We will exercise extreme caution and avoid any risk with Jude concerning potential re-injury. This represents a very uncommon injury type for him, so he lacks experience managing it, therefore we will be exceptionally careful and take no chances.
"The optimal outcome would be some playing time against Japan. That establishes our framework, and we'll adjust daily as needed."
The special consideration granted by Tuchel included a cautionary note. Bellingham competes for the No. 10 position in England's 4-2-3-1 formation alongside numerous exceptionally gifted players. Names like Morgan Rogers, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Eberechi Eze also appeared in Tuchel's 35-man squad for March's exhibition matches. However, not all will make the World Cup roster.
"We require certainty for every position. It's improbable we'll bring three, four, or five players for one role," Tuchel cautioned. "That would create confusion for everyone. The decision between elite players in the No. 10 position means we'll eventually face difficult choices. The competition begins in March, but we'll distribute opportunities."
Why Trent Alexander-Arnold Was Snubbed by Thomas Tuchel—Again
Alexander-Arnold's England journey has been surprisingly inconsistent. The youngest player in Gareth Southgate's 2018 World Cup roster missed Euro 2020 through injury and served as Kyle Walker's backup in Qatar.
It's often overlooked that the natural right-back began England's opening two Euro 2024 matches in midfield alongside Bellingham and Declan Rice. Both performances lacked cohesion, leading to his exclusion before the knockout phase commenced.
Tuchel included Alexander-Arnold at his first opportunity in summer 2025 but didn't witness the former Liverpool star's peak performance, as he was fatigued from a championship-winning season and preparing to join Real Madrid for the Club World Cup. He hasn't been selected since.
The rationale for his September exclusion remained deliberately ambiguous. Tuchel declared himself a "big admirer of Trent" while believing Chelsea captain Reece James and Newcastle's emerging talent Tino Livramento were better suited "for competition." Despite first-choice James being injured, Tuchel pointedly stated that his selected right-backs possess the appropriate "profiles" that Alexander-Arnold doesn't.
The England Right Backs Selected Ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold
"I understand this is a difficult decision for Trent," Tuchel acknowledged. "Such challenging choices are part of this role. It's a sporting decision to continue with Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento, and Djed Spence who can operate at right-back for us."
Quansah is capable at right-back—a position he filled as Alexander-Arnold's deputy at Liverpool—but has played exclusively as a center-back for Bayer Leverkusen this season. Livramento and Spence are natural fullback options, both featuring playing styles emphasizing physical attributes over Alexander-Arnold's sophisticated deep-lying creativity.
"I recognize it's challenging, I know he's a significant name. He possesses enormous talent with an impressive career," Tuchel concluded. "The proof is our strong performance in September-November rather than any issue with Trent.
"I've faced him numerous times and endured many defeats when he played against my teams. I'm well aware of his abilities and contributions."