Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold will not be going to the World Cup this summer, after being left out of the England squad by Thomas Tuchel. The former Liverpool right-back has had a mixed debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu, and a late run of form has not been enough to play his way into the squad.
Alexander-Arnold, 27, arrived last season to compete with Dani Carvajal for the starting spot, but both suffered injuries in the first half of the campaign. In the second half of the year, Alexander-Arnold did win the battle for the starting spot, and ended up playing 30 times, providing five assists. Although he was excellent going forward in the last two months, his defending once again came under heavy scrutiny.
It’s official. Your #ThreeLions players heading to the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆
— England (@England) May 22, 2026
Nevertheless, it has not been sufficient for him to make it into Tuchel’s plans. Alexander-Arnold has won 34 caps for England, but had appeared for just 26 minutes since October of 2024. Although he missed one call-up through injury this season, Tuchel did not use him in the other three international windows.
Teammate Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford will be going to the World Cup with England, despite inconsistent seasons too. Bellingham saw much of his campaign hampered by injuries himself, but since returning to fitness in April has had some largely positive performances. For his part, Rashford has never been a guaranteed starter for Barcelona, and has at times been criticised for his contributions too. Despite his inconsistency, he has still managed 14 goals and 14 assists in his 48 appearances.
Alexander-Arnold is the second player to pay for a disappointing season at the Bernabeu this year. France manager Didier Deschamps also decided to leave out Eduardo Camavinga from his squad. The former Rennes midfielder has also had a tough time with injuries and form over recent months, albeit to a greater degree than Alexander-Arnold.
