Tuchel brings back Alexander-Arnold and Palmer for England
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer are back with England.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel recalled both players on 18 September for his first squad since the World Cup. He had left them out of the summer tournament in North America. Now they return for four Nations League games, UEFA's competition for national teams played between major tournaments, in an extended international break BBC Sport.
Alexander-Arnold, 27, has not played for England since coming on as a substitute in a 1-0 win against Andorra in June 2025. He has 34 caps in total. His club form has built quietly. He has made five appearances for Real Madrid this season, including three starts, with one assist.
Tuchel has listed him as a right-back. That is notable because he played in midfield for Real Madrid's Champions League win over Inter Milan earlier this month. It is the old question around Alexander-Arnold in one selection. Where do you get the best out of that passing range?
Palmer's case is simpler. The 24-year-old Chelsea forward last played for England in a 1-0 friendly defeat by Japan in March. This season he has four goals and two assists in six games. Few England players can match that output right now.
The schedule is packed. England host Spain at Wembley on Saturday, 26 September, then travel to the Czech Republic on Tuesday, 29 September and Croatia on Saturday, 3 October before hosting the Czech Republic again on Tuesday, 6 October. The whole September-October window runs from 21 September to 6 October, according to England Football.
There is change elsewhere too. Tuchel has again left out Manchester City's Phil Foden. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott and Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha both return after featuring in the pre-World Cup squad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is in after scoring three Premier League goals for Leeds United.
New defensive options come in. Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele were all picked. The goalkeeping group is Jordan Pickford, Steele and James Trafford.
Five players miss out through injury: Dean Henderson, Jordan Henderson, Reece James, Djed Spence and John Stones. Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton and Harry Maguire are other notable absentees BBC Sport. In total, Tuchel made 10 changes from the World Cup squad, Reuters reported.
For fans, this means a fresh look with familiar faces. Tuchel said the "door is always open first and foremost through performance and then on the same level through behaviour and commitment to the team spirit," as quoted by The Guardian. Palmer and Alexander-Arnold have answered with form. Now Wembley will see if they can carry it into an England shirt.
