Thomas Tuchel tells Phil Foden: 'Don't be certain you're in my World Cup squad'

Callum Vurley
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:39:28 +0000

Thomas Tuchel has delivered a stark message to Phil Foden, making clear the Manchester City midfielder cannot count on being part of England's World Cup squad this summer.

The England manager expressed frustration at the 25-year-old's inability to reproduce his training performances when it matters most.

"I would say he was excellent in camp but, yeah, he struggles to show it on the pitch," Tuchel said following the recent international window.

When pressed on whether Foden would make the tournament, the German was blunt: "Well, it's not a guarantee that he will come."

Foden was given the nod to start both Wembley warm-up fixtures against Uruguay and Japan, making him the sole player to feature from the beginning in each match.

However, neither outing went to plan for the 49-cap international, who was withdrawn before the hour mark on both occasions.

In the Uruguay encounter, which finished 1-1, Tuchel deployed him in the number 10 position.

Against Japan, the manager experimented with Foden as a false nine, but the midfielder failed to fill the gap left by Harry Kane's absence.

During the Japan defeat, Foden registered fewer touches than any other England starter and was replaced by Dominic Solanke in the 59th minute.

Foden's struggles extend beyond the international stage, with his club form at City equally concerning.

The midfielder has featured in just four starting line-ups across the club's last 15 matches and has failed to find the net since 14 December.

That barren run came after a purple patch of six goals in five games, highlighting the inconsistency that has plagued his season.

With French winger Rayan Cherki now establishing himself at the Etihad, Foden is no longer assured of a place in Pep Guardiola's side either.

The contrast with last season is stark, when Foden claimed the Premier League Player of the Year award after a stellar campaign.

Tuchel faces a difficult selection headache in the number 10 position, with Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers currently favoured, while Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze also remain in contention.

The attacking midfield spots are further crowded by the likes of Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke and Jarrod Bowen, meaning at least one high-profile name will miss out.

Tuchel must finalise his squad and submit it to FIFA by 30 May ahead of England's opening World Cup fixture against Croatia on 17 June in Arlington, Texas.

The Three Lions face New Zealand on 6 June before the tournament begins.