Gareth Southgate has sprung several shocks in naming his 26 man squad to take to the World Cup in Qatar later this month, with James Maddison the headline addition to the Three Lions arsenal.
Maddison has been England’s most in-form forward over the last 12 months, but as late as yesterday he was expected to miss out on the final squad. However, it has since been confirmed that both he and Marcus Rashford have been added to the squad from the September internationals after both missed the entire Nations League campaign.
There is also a place for Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson, who has scored six times in ten games for the high-flying Magpies this season, though there is no space for Ivan Toney, who was called up last international break but didn’t play a single minute across the two games.
Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse also miss out, as do defensive duo Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi, while fellow former Chelsea academy graduate Tammy Abraham’s poor domestic form in Serie A has cost him a place too.
In better news, Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips have both been passed fit, with Phillips playing 40 minutes against Chelsea on Wednesday night in a routine 2-0 Carabao Cup win. Ben White’s form for table-topping Arsenal has also been rewarded with a place in the 26.
The Three Lions face Iran in their Group B opener on November 21st, before games against Wales and the USA. They will be looking to go one better than their semi-final appearance in 2018, from which seven of Southgate’s starting XI remain.
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The Squad in full
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, Nick Pope
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Ben White, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Eric Dier, Luke Shaw
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips, Jordan Henderson, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, James Maddison
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Callum Wilson, Raheem Sterling
You can see all of the other squads heading to the World Cup here.
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