Tuchel Again Snubs Trent Alexander-Arnold for England’s 2026 World Cup Squad After Livramento Injury

England manager Thomas Tuchel has once again chosen not to include Trent Alexander-Arnold in the national team’s 2026 World Cup squad, even after a late injury forced a replacement. The Real Madrid defender was left out of the original 26-man roster announced in May, with Tuchel instead selecting Reece James, Djed Spence, and Tino Livramento. Livramento later withdrew from the squad just days before England's opening match against Croatia after suffering a calf injury in training. Rather than calling up Alexander-Arnold, Tuchel opted to bring in Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah as a replacement.

Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett revealed two key reasons behind Tuchel’s decision to overlook Alexander-Arnold again. First, logistical concerns: it was unclear where the defender was based, and England’s operations team could not guarantee he would arrive in time to meet the tournament deadline. Second, Tuchel has been wary of bringing in a high-profile superstar like Alexander-Arnold if he would not be guaranteed significant playing time—a concern that also influenced the omission of other big names such as Cole Palmer, Harry Maguire, and Phil Foden.

Tuchel himself explained the reasoning for bringing in Chalobah instead, citing tactical flexibility. “We called Trevoh Chalobah because we can free up Jarell Quansah as a full-back on both sides. Djed Spence can play as a full-back on both sides. Trevoh comes as a centre-back alternative, which gives us full coverage in the back four,” the coach said during a press conference. Regarding Livramento’s injury, Tuchel described it as a shock: “He had to stop training and he had a feeling that this could be an injury that could cost him the tournament. He was unfortunately right after assessment.” The injury is expected to sideline Livramento for four to five weeks.

England will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on Wednesday evening against Croatia at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.