Tuchel says Palmer misses too many England chances after latest withdrawal
Cole Palmer is running out of chances to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel said the Chelsea attacker “misses too many opportunities” to play for his country after Palmer withdrew from the latest England squad, according to BBC. It is another stop-start international break for a player in strong club form.
Palmer, 24, has started all five of Chelsea’s Premier League matches so far this season. Tuchel said his understanding is that Palmer is playing with discomfort and pain and cannot compete at the highest level in that condition.
Palmer is now abroad completing an injury-specific training plan. He was accompanied on the trip by a Chelsea rehabilitation coach. Chelsea gave players not on international duty a few days off and permission to travel.
Tuchel’s frustration is simple. He wants to pick players based on what he sees up close in camp, the few days England spend training together before matches. Palmer has featured only three times for England since Tuchel took charge in January 2025, and he was left out of England’s World Cup squad earlier this summer.
Tuchel said Palmer misses too many camps with injuries. He added that he does not blame the player for those absences. He has also warned that Palmer and Kobbie Mainoo risk slipping down England’s pecking order if they keep missing chances to show what they can do, according to Goal.
Palmer is not the only withdrawal. Declan Rice, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford and Mainoo have also pulled out of this squad with injury. Tuchel said he is not worried that players are putting their clubs above playing for England.
England play Spain at Wembley on Saturday. It is their first game since the end of the World Cup. Tuchel named a 27-man squad for these first matches of the 2026-27 season.
For fans, this means the wait goes on. Palmer lights up league weekends with his touch and finishing. England supporters have seen too little of that in an England shirt, and every missed camp makes it harder for Tuchel to build around him.
