Tuchel names 24-man England squad; Bellingham, Foden and Grealish out

England manager Thomas Tuchel named a 24‑man squad on Friday for next month’s internationals, leaving notable players Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish out of the selection ahead of a friendly with Wales at Wembley on October 9 and a World Cup qualifier in Latvia on October 14. Bukayo Saka and John Stones were among the returns to the squad, while Tuchel kept faith with a core group that has already won five straight qualifying matches to sit top of Group K.

Tuchel said the decision to omit Bellingham, who has recently returned to action for Real Madrid after shoulder surgery, was driven by match fitness rather than availability. He said, "He is a very special player and for special players there can always be special rules. I get this. But for this camp we decided that we stick with our straightforward decision to invite the same team." On Bellingham’s readiness he added, "Yes, and he wanted to be called up. We had a phone call. There was no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm. He hasnt finished one complete match."

Bellingham’s omission is striking because he was named England Player of the Year for 2024‑25 two days earlier and has been a central figure in...