Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have been left out of the latest England squad named by Thomas Tuchel this morning.
Tuchel promised a “brave” England selection following the 5-0 win in Serbia last month, in what was the standout result of his time in charge, and he has responded by sticking with largely the same group ahead of a friendly against Wales at Wembley and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on 14 October.
It means there is no place for Bellingham, just two days after being announced 2024/25 England men's senior player of the year. The 22-year-old is back playing for Real Madrid after missing the start of the season due to his recovery from shoulder surgery, while Foden and Grealish, who have returned to form at Manchester City and Everton respectively, are also not included.
Bukayo Saka returns from injury, however, replacing the injured Noni Madueke, but Adam Wharton also misses out, with Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson and Ruben Loftus-Cheek among the midfield options next to Declan Rice and Morgan Rogers. Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento and Trent Alexander-Arnold were unavailable due to injury.
“It’s only three weeks now since the last camp and the last win [against Serbia], the last performance,” Tuchel said. “So the question was, why not bring the same group in? Because they set the standards and now it is about creating habits out of it.”
Follow the latest updates and reaction from the England squad announcement in our live blog below
England squad announcement LIVE
- England reveal squad for the October internationals
- Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham all miss out; Bukayo Saka returns
- Thomas Tuchel explained the Bellingham omission and denied any rift
- The Three Lions host Wales in a friendly before resuming World Cup qualifying campaign in Latvia
- England return to action off the back of their 5-0 drubbing of Serbia in September
Everything you need to know for the October internationals
13:00 , Will CastleThanks for tuning in for our coverage of England’s squad announcement for the October international break. If you’re just catching up now, here’s the 24-man squad picked by Thomas Tuchel and the two fixtures that are in store.
England squad for October internationals
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins.
Fixtures
9 October: England vs Wales, international friendly (7:45pm BST, Wembley Stadium)
14 October: Latvia vs England, World cup qualifier (7:45pm BST, Daugava Stadium)
World Cup 2026 kick-offs likely to be after midnight in UK to combat searing US heat
12:45 , Will CastleFifa are increasingly likely to schedule World Cup matches involving European nations after midnight UK time next year in a bid to combat the heat problems that plagued this summer’s Club World Cup.
It appeared the inaugural Club World Cup, held across the United States, had offered a glimpse into how matches would be formatted ahead of next year’s World Cup, with the earliest kick-offs scheduled at 5pm BST before being followed by games at 8pm, 11pm and 2am.
The 5pm and 8pm kick-offs were in place to suit European broadcasters but caused a problem for player welfare, with these games often taking place when the American summer heat was at its peak. The 5pm kick-off would be at midday on the US east coast, while the 8pm kick-off time would be at midday on the west coast.
World Cup 2026 kick-offs likely to be after midnight in UK to combat searing US heat
Fifa says Donald Trump can’t move World Cup matches despite threat to ‘left lunatic’ cities
12:30 , Will CastleFifa vice-president Victor Montagliani has confirmed that any decision to move 2026 World Cup matches away from host cities would rest with Fifa, not Donald Trump.
This follows remarks made last week by the United States President, who spoke about the possibility of relocating games from cities he considered "dangerous".
While Fifa president Gianni Infantino has developed a close bond with Trump, whose country is co-hosting the finals alongside Canada and Mexico, Montagliani insisted that all host city decisions remain a matter for Fifa.
Fifa says Trump can’t move World Cup matches despite threat to ‘left lunatic’ cities
New World Cup ball will help refereeing decisions, claims Adidas
12:15 , Will CastleAdidas has unveiled its official match ball for next summer's World Cup and claimed the Trionda's new technology will enable faster offside decisions and help identify handball offences.
England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham helped launch the ball, the name of which translates as ‘three waves’, featuring a red, green and blue design to represent the three host nations – the USA, Mexico and Canada.
But Adidas said the most advanced features of the ball are hidden from view, with the Trionda featuring the company's latest “connected ball technology” to aid in-game officiating decisions and offering more insight into gameplay.
New World Cup ball will help refereeing decisions, claims Adidas
Thomas Tuchel denies rift with Jude Bellingham as he explains Foden and Grealish omissions from England squad
12:00 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel insisted he has no personal problem with Jude Bellingham and said he wanted to retain the same squad who thrashed Serbia 5-0 in England’s last match as he explained why several big names were missing from the group.
Tuchel said: “Jude is a very special player, and for special players there can always be special rules. I get this. But for this camp we decided that we stick with our straightforward decision to invite the same team. That applies also then for Jude, he deserves always to be in camp.
“I think there is an extra layer on top, the situation that he has not gathered fully rhythm yet at Real Madrid. He is back in the team. He hasn’t finished one full match until now, he has only started one match, so he is in the period where he gets his rhythm, where he gets back to full strength. But the decision stayed for this camp.
“He wanted to be called up, we had a phone call, there is no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm, he hasn’t finished one complete match. And on top of it, we decided to go with the same squad.”
Asked whether he has any personal issues with Bellingham after branding him as “repulsive” in the summer, Tuchel added: “No. There is also no problem between me and Phil Foden, there is no problem between me and Jack Grealish. Very special players. Phil is back to influencing games, deciding games for Manchester City. Jack is very close to be the best version of himself, a very special player, a very special character.
“There is no problem at all, there is no personal problem.”
Tuchel denies rift with Bellingham as he explains major omissions from England squad
Is Myles Lewis-Skelly's World Cup dream in trouble?
11:47 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel seemed to issue a warning to Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has seen his minutes at Arsenal limited this season but nevertheless was called back up to the squad.
The England boss noted that he benefited from the decision to stick with the same squad used in September but that "just being a good citizen in the camp won't be enough" going forward.
Having played second fiddle to Riccardo Calafiori this term, could Lewis-Skelly’s seat on the plane be in jeopardy?
Myles Lewis-Skelly receives stern warning from Tuchel Tuchel over Arsenal role
Thomas Tuchel back in the hot seat
11:42 , Will Castle
Key takeaways from Thomas Tuchel's press conference
11:33 , Will CastleJust joining us? Here are the key points from Thomas Tuchel’s press conference following the announcement of the latest England squad:
- Tuchel took the “straightforward” decision to pick the same squad seen in September to build on the progress made.
- He insists there is no rift with Jude Bellingham after his omission, stating that he “always deserves to be in the camp”, but emphasises the importance on not being dependent on individuals.
- He also says there is no problem with Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, with the in-form duo also missing out.
- Myles Lewis-Skelly was the main beneficiary of Tuchel’s decision not to switch things up after seeing minutes limited at Arsenal, but “just being a good citizen” will be enough for selection going ahead.
- Adam Wharton, Curtis Jones and Trevoh Chalobah were namedropped as those unlucky to miss out as Tuchel told players not in the squad to “just keep pushing”, with “absolutely no guarantees” for the current crop when it comes to selection.
Tuchel wraps up
11:23 , Will CastleAnd that’s all for the non-embargoed section.
There’ll be more to come later tonight from the England boss.
Tuchel: 'Everyone wants to be here'
11:18 , Will Castle"Everyone wants to be here,” Tuchel says. “The players are very close and deserve to be here, they got a message from me and confirmed straight back.
"Everyone is desperate to be in the group. No one pulled out."
More on Bellingham
11:17 , Will Castle"Do I believe we're a stronger team with Jude? Yes. Is he one of the best players in the world in midfield? Yes,” Tuchel said.
"But what are we doing if a player like Jude is injured before the World Cup? Do we not travel? This is a team sport. We have to find solutions if players are injured, like now Cole Palmer.
"We found solutions in the last camp. This is more about the last camp and what we started to build than the dependency on individual players.
"It can never be the solution to depend on one player in football."
Tuchel says England reached new standards in September
11:15 , Will Castle"It's the World Cup year,” he said. “We selected a lot of players in the first two camps. We reached new standards for ourselves in the last camp.
“It was clearly visible in the match in Serbia in the way we played and the way we won. So the question is why not pick the same squad, if they are available?
"They have to prove again. The pressure is on the guys who want to be in camp but also the ones selected. This is the chance they have."
Tuchel on Grealish and Foden
11:14 , Will Castle"Jack [Grealish] is in a very good moment. Phil [Foden] is in a very good moment,” Tuchel says.
"Cole Palmer is injured, a very special character and player who decides matches and can be a special player for us.
"This will always be like this - in any nomination we will have these cases that can be endlessly discussed and decided in any way."
Tuchel on Lewis-Skelly's recall
11:12 , Will CastleLewis-Skelly is perhaps a surprise inclusion in the squad having seen his minutes limited at Arsenal.
“He is one of the players who has benefited from the decision to pick the same squad,” Tuchel says, insisting performance will be key for the player going forward.
"Just being a good citizen in the camp won't be enough.”
Tuchel tells players left out to 'keep pushing'
11:10 , Will CastleTuchel calls on players not in the squad to “just keep pushing” as he reiterates that the last camp "was the best camp so far", leading to the decision to “invite the same players to build on that".
"There are some players who deserve to be with us, but for this camp we wanted to make it a straightforward decision and stay with the same group,” he said.
Tuchel on competitiveness for places
11:09 , Will CastleAdam Wharton, Curtis Jones and Trevoh Chalobah are among the names Thomas Tuchel drops to highlight how competitive the England squad is at the moment.
All three missed out on a call-up.
Tuchel rejects rift with Bellingham after 'repulsive' comment
11:07 , Will Castle“One has nothing to do with the other,” Tuchel asserted.
“There is (also) no problem between me and Phil Foden, there is no problem between me and Jack Grealish.”
Tuchel on Bellingham omission
11:06 , Will Castle“I understand your focus on Jude, he’s a very special player and for special players there can always be special rules. But for this camp, we decided to stick with our straightforward decision to invite the same team. That applies to Jude, who always deserves to be in camp,” Tuchel said.
“He also hasn’t yet fully regained rhythm. He hasn’t finished one full match until now, he’s only started one match. He is in that period where he is getting back to his rhythm where there is an extra layer to the decision.
“We had a phone call. He just lacks rhythm.”
Tuchel says Quansah included in initial squad after being a 'plus one' in September
11:03 , Will Castle“We had Jarell Quansah with us last camp as a plus one as we weren’t sure about Stones and Livramento, so he stays with us,” Tuchel said.
Here comes Tuchel
11:01 , Will CastleThe England manager has arrived...
Thomas Tuchel's press conference coming up
10:51 , Will CastleEngland boss Thomas Tuchel will speak to the media in about 10 minutes following his squad announcement for the October international break.
Expect further explanations for the omissions of Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish, along with much more.
We’ll have all have everything he says right here. Stay tuned!
How did England fare last time out?
10:47 , Will CastleThe Three Lions seemed to finally deliver on Tuchel’s vision in the September break, following up a drab 2-0 win over Andorra at Villa Park with an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Serbia on their own turf.
They’ll hope to build on that momentum this month as the 2026 World Cup moves ever nearer.
State of play in England's World Cup qualifying group
10:44 , Will CastleEngland have just three more World Cup qualifiers to play in Group K, with their next assignment in Latvia on Tuesday 14 October.
While they haven’t always been convincing, England have won all five of their qualifiers so far and top the group, seven clear of Albania in second.
England's October internationals
10:39 , Will CastleHere are the two games England will be tasked with during the October international break:
9 October: England vs Wales, international friendly (7:45pm BST, Wembley Stadium)
14 October: Latvia vs England, World cup qualifier (7:45pm BST, Daugava Stadium)
Thomas Tuchel explains why he left out Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from England squad
10:35 , Lawrence OstlereThomas Tuchel says he wanted to retain the same squad who thrashed Serbia 5-0 in England’s last match as he explained why several big names were missing from the group.
England revealed the latest squad for October’s internationals on Friday morning, with the selection largely unchanged from the wins over Andorra and Serbia in last month’s World Cup qualifying. Bukayo Saka has returned to replace his injured Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke in the most notable change.
Jude Bellingham has returned to action with Real Madrid after injury and was named England’s player of the 2024/25 season this week, while Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have both found form in the Premier League, but none of the trio have been selected.
Read more:
Thomas Tuchel explains why Bellingham, Foden and Grealish are not in England squad
No luck for England's player of the year
10:32 , Will CastleIt’s been an up and down 24 hours for Jude Bellingham, England-wise.
He was yesterday named England’s player of the season but has today missed out on the call from Thomas Tuchel as he looks to be ushered back into the Three Lions fold.
A reminder that Bellingham only made his first start of the season last weekend off the back of shoulder surgery, in which his Real Madrid side were demolished 5-2 by city rivals Atletico.
Is his omission harsh or fair?
✨ @BellinghamJude named England's best player of the 24-25 season! pic.twitter.com/yZscvgyAyN
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 2, 2025
Last month's new boys keep their spot
10:29 , Will CastleElliot Anderson and Djed Spence earned their first England call-ups for the September international break - and now they’ve earned their second.
Both impressed in their maiden outings, with Spence making history as the first ever Muslim player to be capped by England.
Crystal Palace snubbed
10:27 , Will CastleCrystal Palace are the last remaining team in the Premier League to with an unbeaten record still in tact - yet they see a couple of their England hopefuls snubbed from the team.
Adam Wharton is widely regarded as the future of England’s midfield but it seems a Three Lions recall has come too soon, having only returned from injury in mid-September.
Tyrick Mitchell, meanwhile, will feel hard done by given the fact Tino Livramento’s injury left a full-back vacancy in the squad. That has instead been filled by centre-half Jarell Quansah.
Bukayo Saka makes his England comeback
10:23 , Will CastleThe big return to the England fold comes in the form of Bukayo Saka, who missed out on the September internationals with injury.
He reverses roles with Arsenal colleague Noni Madueke, who himself is now sidelined.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah also makes his comeback, having been the beneficiary of Tino Livramento’s injury to regain his place in the squad.
Is Jack Grealish unlucky to miss out?
10:18 , Will CastleJack Grealish has been a revelation on loan at Everton, racking up four assists in his first six appearances for the Toffees.
The man who once cost Manchester City £100m seemed unlikely to get a look-in for next year’s World Cup roster a few months ago - now, some will brand his omission from Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad as harsh.
England's double injury blow
10:14 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel was forced to swap out two of his stars from the September international break, with Noni Madueke and Tino Livramento sidelined with injury.
“We have unfortunately two injuries at the moment, Tino (Livramento) and Noni (Madueke), and we bring of course Bukayo Saka to replace Noni and Jarell Quansah was a late call-up last time. He will stay in camp,” he said.
Thomas Tuchel explains his squad selection
10:12 , Will Castle“It’s only three weeks now since the last camp and the last win [against Serbia], the last performance,” Tuchel said. “So the question was, why not bring the same group in? Because they set the standards and now it is about creating habits out of it.”
It seems the England boss is happy with what he saw last time out.
Jude Bellingham awaits England return after recovering from injury
10:11 , Will CastleJude Bellingham will have to wait a bit longer before returning to the England fold.
He has only just made his Real Madrid comeback after recovering from shoulder surgery, which forced him to miss the beginning of the season.
The talismanic midfielder has not received an immediate call-up to the international setup, however, with the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Elliot Anderson preferred.
Phil Foden snubbed despite uptick in form
10:07 , Will CastleThere are a few big omissions from Tuchel’s squad.
Phil Foden was snubbed from the September squad having barely played for Manchester City in the first few games of the season - but since an inspired derby performance, he seems to have kicked in to gear.
His uptick in form was not enough to earn a recall from Tuchel, though.
England squad announced
10:03 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel has announced his England squad for the October internationals:
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Ollie Watkins.
Your #ThreeLions for October! 🥁
— England (@England) October 3, 2025
Thomas Tuchel promises ‘brave’ England team selections and sends warning to big names
10:00 , Miguel DelaneyThomas Tuchel says he is brave enough to leave out big names, and that England selection will be about best behaviour and helping everyone to be better and to grow, as he hailed “team work in its purest form”.
“The competition is on,” added the Three Lions boss.
England offered up by far their best performance of Tuchel’s reign so far with a supreme 5-0 win away to Serbia in September, despite heavy-hitters like Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham missing the game through injury. Morgan Rogers, Noni Madueke and Elliott Anderson instead starred, giving the manager the sort of selection puzzle that he enjoys. The key was how coherent England looked, raising questions over whether Tuchel wants to disrupt that.
“I am always brave," Tuchel smiled. "You know that. But I don’t talk now about hypothetical names that can be left out. Let’s see who’s fit and available. I think we took some brave decisions already. We nominated a squad of only 21 to keep the competition going."
Thomas Tuchel promises ‘brave’ England team selections and sends warning to big names
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter
09:54 , Miguel DelaneyFor every football story, I go behind the scenes – from the big talking points to the subtler stories you won’t see anywhere else.
As a member of Inside Football newsletter, you’ll get extra insight, deeper reporting, and exclusive columns, plus the chance to ask questions in an exclusive Q&A.
Join Inside Football today and get the full picture. Find out more here.
Manchester United ignoring the reality of their failings is simply madness
09:40 , Richard JollyAt left wing-back, the player who won the Champions League as a No 10. At right wing-back, the forward who scored 20 Premier League goals last season.
Manchester United finished Saturday’s defeat at Brentford with what could seem the latest example of Ruben Amorim’s determination to put the squarest of pegs in the roundest of holes but with yet another illustration that the system is paramount.
Amorim may die upon a hill, if that hill is labelled 3-4-3. Wing-backs are here as long as he is, even if they aren’t really wing-backs.
Read more from Richard Jolly:
Man United ignoring the reality of their failings is simply madness
Fabio Capello makes embarrassing gaffe when presenting Sarina Wiegman award at Ballon d’Or
09:20 , Will CastleFormer England manager Fabio Capello mispronounced Sarina Wiegman’s name when awarding the Lionesses boss the Johan Cruyff trophy for best women’s coach at the Ballon d’Or awards.
As he read out the winner of the award, Capello announced the Dutch coach’s name as ‘Sabrina Wiegman’ before the Lionesses manager came onto the stage to accept the trophy at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Wiegman led England to a second consecutive Euros title in Switzerland this summer, as well as her third Euros title in a row as coach, as the Lionesses defeated Spain on penalties.
Capello makes embarrassing gaffe when presenting Wiegman award at Ballon d’Or
Harry Kane calls on England to use Serbia demolition as template for World Cup
09:00 , Will CastleEngland captain Harry Kane said their 5-0 demolition of Serbia should be the template for how they want to play at the World Cup following criticism of Thomas Tuchel's start to life as Three Lions boss.
"This is the time when the competition starts, the formation and the way we play and the style is going to be set in stone," he said.
"Of course, there might be a few games where we have to change a little bit depending on opposition, but we want to play our way - we want to be on the front foot and win the ball back quick and when we lose the ball, recover well.
"You could say that was the perfect template and we're going to have difficult games from now until the World Cup but we'll use this as a starting point and the standard's been really high."
Harry Kane calls on England to use Serbia demolition as template for World Cup
Dominic Solanke targets Tottenham return ‘in very near future’ after surgery
08:40 , Will CastleAnother man who will be absent from Thomas Tuchel’s squad this month is Dominic Solanke, who has targeted a return for Tottenham “in the very near future” after successful minor surgery on his ankle.
Solanke has endured an injury-hit few months and only featured three times this season, with his last appearance for Spurs on 23 August against Manchester City.
“The last few months have been very frustrating as I’ve tried everything possible to try and push through my ankle issue before taking the option of surgery,” Spurs’ £65m forward said on Instagram.
“None of this managed to solve the problem, so we had to go ahead with minor surgery, which I underwent this morning.
“It was all successful so hopefully I’ll be back on the pitch in the very near future. Thank you for all your love and messages.”
Dominic Solanke targets Tottenham return ‘in very near future’ after surgery
World Cup 2026 kick-offs likely to be after midnight in UK to combat searing US heat
08:20 , Will CastleFifa are increasingly likely to schedule World Cup matches involving European nations after midnight UK time next year in a bid to combat the heat problems that plagued this summer’s Club World Cup.
It appeared the inaugural Club World Cup, held across the United States, had offered a glimpse into how matches would be formatted ahead of next year’s World Cup, with the earliest kick-offs scheduled at 5pm BST before being followed by games at 8pm, 11pm and 2am.
The 5pm and 8pm kick-offs were in place to suit European broadcasters but caused a problem for player welfare, with these games often taking place when the American summer heat was at its peak. The 5pm kick-off would be at midday on the US east coast, while the 8pm kick-off time would be at midday on the west coast.
World Cup 2026 kick-offs likely to be after midnight in UK to combat searing US heat
Thomas Tuchel's last squad
08:00 , Will CastleGoalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Adam Wharton, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins.
Who could be called up by Thomas Tuchel?
07:40 , Will CastleHaving missed out on Thomas Tuchel’s last squad, Manchester City’s Phil Foden is in line to be recalled after kicking into gear in recent weeks.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka should be also included again after recovering from injury, though Chelsea star Cole Palmer remains sidelined.
Jude Bellingham is also up for reselection after recovering from shoulder surgery that saw him miss the start of the season.
Real Madrid colleague Trent Alexander-Arnold, however, will play no part in the October internationals owing to hamstring problem.
The ex-Liverpool right-back was snubbed regardless for the previous squad amid teething issues at the Santiago Bernabeu, but could have been up for selection after Tino Livramento - who has so far been preferred by Tuchel - was ruled out for eight weeks this week.
When is the England squad announced?
07:20 , Will CastleEngland’s squad announcement is expected to take place today at 10am BST.
Thomas Tuchel will then hold a press conference where we will get the reasoning behind his decisions.
We’ll have all the updates, right here.
England squad announcement LIVE
07:00 , Will CastleGood morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Thomas Tuchel’s squad announcement ahead of the October internationals.
The Three Lions seemed to finally deliver on Tuchel’s vision in the September break, following up a drab 2-0 win over Andorra with an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Serbia on their own turf.
They’ll hope to build on that momentum this month as they play host to Wales in an international friendly on 9 October, before resuming their World Cup qualifying campaign in Latvia on 14 October.
Stay tuned to discover who gets the call-up from Tuchel, as it happens.
