Thomas Tuchel has recalled Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo for the Wembley friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in an enlarged England squad of 35 players. The manager said he has picked almost two groups for the matches in order to give opportunities to fringe players and, initially, rest to other more established ones at this critical stage of the season.
Tuchel’s other headlines were the decisions to bring back Lewis Hall, Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke. He has also given a first call-up to James Garner. Tino Livramento is back. The most eye-catching omissions were those of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ollie Watkins, who have to fear for their World Cup places.
The 11 players who will not report until after next Friday’s Uruguay match are Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane.
24-man squad v Uruguay on 27 March:
Goalkeepers Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Man City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton).
Defenders Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento (both Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Jarell Quansah (B Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Spurs), John Stones (Man City), Fikayo Tomori (Milan).
Midfielders Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, training only for Uruguay match), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Adam Wharton (C Palace).
Forwards Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Man City), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Dominic Solanke (Spurs).
11 players who join v Japan on 31 March:
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson (C Palace).
Defenders Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guéhi (C Palace), Ezri Konsa (A Villa), Nico O’Reilly (Man City).
Midfielders Elliot Anderson (Nottm Forest), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).
Forwards Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (B Munich), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Jude Bellingham is named in the squad. Tuchel said his fitness will be carefully monitored after a recent muscle injury and that he will not feature against Uruguay, but could play some part against Japan on Tuesday 31 March. “We will not take any risks with Jude,” said Tuchel. “We will continue his progress and integration into team training. The best case scenario is that he gets some minutes against Japan.”
While Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman is not named in the group, Tuchel did not rule out the 16-year-old’s chances of forcing his way into the squad for the World Cup. “He has put himself into the spotlight,” he said. “He’s a fantastic talent. The reality is he’s not a regular starter. He’s in the best environment possible, learning from the very best.
“We always have the chance to call him up for the World Cup. There is no need to call him up now to increase the pressure but we have all the options.”
This is the last squad Tuchel will name before he finalises his 26-man group for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico in the summer.
Tuchel said: “We decided to divide it into basically two camps almost, so we bring players in that we haven’t seen who haven’t played so much to open up the picture, and the competition for plane tickets to the US.
“Then from [next] Friday and Saturday, a group of players will come into camp – 10 or 11 players who get a rest before and we will then go with a new group and mix of players into the match against Japan.”
Maguire and Mainoo are back because of their fine form for Manchester United; it is the first time that Tuchel has selected players from the club. Maguire, who has just turned 33, won the last of his 64 England caps under Lee Carsley against the Republic of Ireland in September 2024.
Mainoo became a mainstay in midfield under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024, starting in the final against Spain, but his last appearance was in that same Ireland game as Maguire. His United career went into freefall under Ruben Amorim but he has been revived by the interim manager, Michael Carrick. Another United hopeful, Luke Shaw, misses out despite being a regular in the side’s resurgence.
Alexander-Arnold is the most high-profile omission. Tuchel has used him only once – in the June 2025 camp, when he brought him on as a substitute against Andorra in Barcelona. The Real Madrid right-back has not always been fit but he is now. Tuchel has previously suggested Alexander-Arnold must concentrate more on his defending.
It is surely a worry for Alexander-Arnold that he cannot make such a large squad and at a time when the first-choice right-back, Reece James, is missing because of a hamstring injury. Tuchel knows Garner, who has been in excellent form for Everton, can operate at right-back as well as in midfield.
