Tuchel's Most Controversial Decision: Trent Alexander-Arnold Excluded from World Cup Squad — Real Madrid Star Played Only 26 Minutes in 1 Year, Wayne Rooney Calls It "Mind-Boggling"

One of the most controversial national team news in English football in recent months is about to be finalized. Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be excluded from the 26-man 2026 World Cup squad that Thomas Tuchel will announce at Wembley Stadium on Friday, May 22. According to Liverpool.com's latest report, Real Madrid's former Liverpool star right-back is in a "knife-edge" position regarding selection to the squad; the most recent betting odds show the player's chances of selection as low (+110). This means that one of modern English football's most talented right-backs experiences a national team exclusion at the peak of his career — and creates a wave of great anger in the English football public.

The statistics reveal the seriousness of the situation. According to Liverpool.com data, Alexander-Arnold has taken the field for England only once since Thomas Tuchel took office on January 1, 2025: 26 minutes in the World Cup qualifying match against Andorra in June 2025, which was won 1-0. According to World Soccer Talk, since that date, England has played 8 matches and Tuchel has tried six different players in this position: Ben White, Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, and Reece James. The 27-year-old Alexander-Arnold could not find a place in Tuchel's plans despite transferring from Liverpool to Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer.

At the center of the controversy is Wayne Rooney's sharp criticism. The Manchester United legend described Alexander-Arnold's exclusion as "mind-boggling" on his own podcast: "No disrespect to Ben White — I think he's a fantastic player — but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Trent is mind-boggling." Rooney's outburst summarizes the general reaction in the English football public. Ben White's selection is particularly noteworthy, because White had left the squad in the middle of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and never explained why publicly; he had also rejected Gareth Southgate's call before the 2024 European Championship.

Tuchel defends his decision as "sport-based." In his previous statement to beIN Sports, the German manager said: "I know very well what Trent can offer us. I played many times against him and suffered when he played against my teams with Liverpool. So I know very well about his strength and what he can give." However, Tuchel emphasized positional competition with the statement: "But at the moment it is like we have evidence how good we were in September, October, November, and the players who are in camp for right full-back, they have to push for their ticket, they have to compete, they have to show again that they deserve this." He had previously not called up Alexander-Arnold for the Uruguay and Japan friendlies to be played in March, describing this decision as "maybe unfair."

Alexander-Arnold's first season at Real Madrid is also a critical factor affecting the decision. According to ESPN, Madrid paid 10 million euros ($11.5 million) to bring Alexander-Arnold in time for the Club World Cup, and the player featured in 5 matches on the road to the semifinals. However, he made a difficult start to his La Liga career; he lost his starting XI spot to Dani Carvajal due to injury problems and form decline. Fit since February 2026, Alexander-Arnold has featured in 9 matches across all competitions; he gave positive signals by playing almost a full match against Manchester City. Tuchel's expectation was that the player "would regain his form in the coming months"; however, it appears this was not enough.

This decision deepens the uncertainty in England's right-back position. The names Tuchel prefers in this position are players like Reece James (Chelsea — the player Tuchel managed at Stamford Bridge), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah, and Djed Spence (Tottenham). Considering Alexander-Arnold's offensive ability, passing quality, and mastery on set pieces, his exclusion is a controversial decision from a footballing standpoint. However, Tuchel made his choice based on defensive discipline and team harmony — Alexander-Arnold's defensive weaknesses had been a long-criticized issue. This is one of the most concrete examples of the "talent or system fit" debate in modern football.

In addition to Alexander-Arnold, other big names are also being left out of the squad. According to previously announced reports, Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Adam Wharton will also not be in Tuchel's 26-man squad. This shows the German manager's intention to reshape English football's future vision. Tuchel's basic principle in managing the national team is clear: form, camp performance, and system fit are more important than past achievements and name value. This approach is evaluated as "brave and necessary" by some, and "too merciless and risky" by others.

The future of Alexander-Arnold's national team career is uncertain in the coming period. As Tuchel previously stated, the player "could be considered" for the matches to be played against Costa Rica and Croatia — meaning the door is not completely closed. However, his exclusion from the World Cup squad is an important turning point in the 27-year-old star's career. The goal of finding form at Real Madrid and becoming one of the world's best right-backs again is also critical for his national team career. England is going to the World Cup as a 2024 European Championship finalist and with the goal of ending a 60-year championship longing — but this time, without one of modern football's most talented right-backs. Performance on the pitches will show whether this brave decision by Tuchel is correct.

Source: Based on reports from Liverpool.com, World Soccer Talk, ESPN, beIN Sports, Goal.com, Flashscore, Soccerway, AP News and statements by Thomas Tuchel/Wayne Rooney.