Thomas Tuchel explains for the first time his decision to leave Chelsea's star out of the World Cup squad
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has broken his silence, delivering a direct and sharply reasoned explanation for his most controversial decision yet: omitting Cole Palmer from the final squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Details: The German specialist didn't mince words, openly pointing to the recent dip in form of Chelsea's standout leader.
“Cole Palmer hasn't been as productive and impactful on the pitch as he was in previous seasons. Moreover, he wasn't always available to us during training camps and didn't deliver the decisive performances we expected from him,” British media quote Tuchel as saying.
Beyond Palmer's physical condition, Tuchel emphasized that the fierce competition within the Three Lions squad played a crucial role. The German coach highlighted that, in his tactical setup, there are currently attacking midfielders in the half-space role who are objectively stronger than the "ice-cold Cole."
“He's competing for the right-sided 'number ten' role in the half-space, where we've opted for Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, and Eberechi Eze. These are outstanding players; they've had a better season and have looked far more convincing and valuable in our camps than Cole,” the England boss concluded.
It's worth noting that at the World Cup, England will face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
Reminder: Manchester City are set to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández at Maresca's request.
