Thomas Tuchel’s dream England XI for World Cup if 3 players didn’t snub country

Thomas Tuchel will make his choices soon (Image: Getty)

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Thomas Tuchel could have had an additional two Champions League winners and a Serie A superstar to choose from when deciding his World Cup squad. The England boss will announce the 26-man team heading across the pond on Friday as they bid to end 60 years of hurt.

Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford are nailed on to be included on the list. However, one of the most clinical strikers in the world could have been joining Kane up top if he had switched allegiances at a young age.

Here, Express Sport details just how England could’ve lined up at the World Cup 2026…

Goalkeeper

This is the most solidified position across the entire squad with Jordan Pickford continuing to perform at a high level for England. The Everton shotstopper has 82 caps for his country and has been relied upon at the last four major tournaments.

James Trafford was given his debut for the Three Lions under Tuchel in a 1-1 draw with Uruguay earlier this year, but it remains unlikely that he or Dean Henderson would unseat Pickford from the starting spot.

Jordan Pickford is one of the first names on the teamsheet (Image: Getty)

Defence

More options have become available across the backline for Tuchel this summer. Harry Maguire has returned to form at Manchester United and John Stones recently recovered from injury.

However, Ezri Konsa has stamped some authority on being selected after an impressive campaign with Aston Villa. The centre-half has made 47 appearances this year, scoring two goals and making it to the Europa League final.

He recently played 83 minutes in a friendly loss to Japan and could become the perfect partner to Marc Guehi. Reece James is also a likely choice to return to the squad after missing the most recent fixtures due to a hamstring injury.

The Chelsea captain can play across a variety of positions but would be best utilised in the right-back position. Nico O’Reilly’s breakout season at Manchester City has placed him high on the list of potential starters for Tuchel. The 21-year-old has made 52 appearances so far, scoring nine goals and assisting six times while securing the Carabao and FA Cups.

Ezri Konsa could become England’s newest defensive mountain (Image: Getty)

Midfield

The middle of the park is where England could have seen a major difference this summer. Scott McTominay may be heading across the Atlantic with Scotland as one of their key players, but there was a time when he could’ve starred for the Three Lions.

The Napoli midfielder had the choice of both home nations, with his England ties coming from his birthplace of Lancaster. However, McTominay qualified for the Scots through his father and grandparents and ultimately committed to the Tartan Army in 2018.

He has become a major stand-out in Steve Clarke’s set-up, making 18 goal contributions in 69 caps. The 29-year-old is also a shining star for Napoli after leaving Manchester United in 2024 and could walk into Tuchel’s starting XI.

Scott McTominay could have been an England star (Image: Getty)

He could have partnered up with Arsenal’s Declan Rice, who has been a stand-out performer for the Premier League title challengers. The 27-year-old has performed exceptionally for the Gunners this season, scoring five goals and assisting 11 times as he led the team to their first Champions League final since 2006.

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Bukayo Saka has nailed down his place on the right wing but the left is up for grabs. Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford are the frontrunners for that position. However, Jamal Musiala would have been guaranteed that spot had he chosen to represent England. The 23-year-old played for both England and Germany at youth international level, while also qualifying for Nigeria through his father.

Musiala eventually opted for Germany in 2021 while impressing for Bayern at just 18 years old. He admitted that his allegiance between the countries was “50/50,” telling the Guardian: “How English [do] I feel? How German?

Jamal Musiala played for England at a youth level (Image: Getty)

“You could say 50-50. I still have the English side of me. It’s always going to be like that.”

Attack

The striking options could have ended up twice as lethal with Harry Kane linking up alongside Erling Haaland. Kane is an obvious shout to lead the line after breaking the record to become England’s all-time top scorer in 2023.

He has notched 78 goals in 112 appearances and has captained his country through four major tournaments. Haaland could have been the perfect addition to this striking duo if he had opted for his birthplace allegiance.

Haland could’ve made a deadly duo with Kane (Image: Getty)

The City forward was born in England while his dad, Alf-Inge, was playing for Leeds United. However, the 25-year-old pledged his loyalty to Norway, having spent much of his formative years there and qualifying through his parents.

With 55 goals in 49 caps for his country, Haaland could have been the partner to Kane that would strike fear in opposing teams from the start.