England Squad: Cole Palmer Omitted for UEFA Nations League Matches

England manager Thomas Tuchel has omitted Chelsea forward Cole Palmer from the squad for upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.

The 24-year-old, who scored five goals, was unavailable for the last international break due to physical issues. Tuchel previously stated Palmer had missed “too many concentration periods due to injuries,” a factor cited again for his omission. The manager emphasized the merit of players who participated in the recent camp, stating, “It was a long camp. It was two and a half weeks, and the players and the lads who were in camp built something extraordinary and so the credit is to them.”

Cole Palmer's Omission Justified

“So it’s not personal, and of course we would never assume that Cole doesn’t have the mindset to come and is desperate to play for his country,” he said. “But the competition is on, and the players who were in camp did an incredible job and kept their place.” The manager added, “The door is always open, but nothing has changed, and we decided to do this camp without him.”

Rashford and Foden Left Out

Manchester United forwards Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, along with Manchester City’s Phil Foden—who is back to his best club form—have also been left out.

The most prominent is Jobe Bellingham, who receives his first senior England call-up. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder joins his brother, Jude Bellingham, in the squad. England’s official X account celebrated the moment, writing, “From our Young Lions to the Three Lions, Jobe Bellingham. Congratulations on your first senior international call-up!”

Bellingham Brothers Debut Possibility

If he makes his debut, the Bellingham brothers would become the fourth pair of siblings to represent England in the modern era. The midfielder has impressed with Dortmund this season, featuring in all but one of the club’s matches across all competitions. His statistics include 67 ball recoveries, 19 interceptions, and 17 tackles won, second only to teammate Waldemar Anton in those categories for the German side.

Josh King Earns First Call-Up

Alongside Jobe Bellingham, Fulham forward Josh King has been called up for the first time to the senior squad. King participated in the England preparatory concentration before the 2026 World Cup and has now earned his place in the official squad after a productive start to the season with two goals and one assist in the Premier League.

The squad also sees the return of Arsenal defender Ben White, who hasn’t featured since March. Midfielder Declan Rice, also of Arsenal, is back after missing the last camp due to injury. Meanwhile, Djed Spence returns to the fold for the first time since the World Cup after recovering from his physical problems.

England’s Fixtures and Group Standing

England’s next matches are crucial in their Nations League campaign. They host Croatia at Wembley Stadium on November 12 and then travel to face Spain in Madrid three days later on November 15. England currently sits second in Group A4, three points behind Spain. The top two teams from the group will advance to the quarter-finals, scheduled for March.

The squad will be without several players due to injuries. Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Alex Scott, and Trevoh Chalobah are all unavailable, adding to the selection challenges for Tuchel as he balances experience with new talent for these important fixtures.

Full England Squad for Nations League

The complete 26-man squad for the matches against Croatia and Spain includes:

• Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds United)
• Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter), Ben White (Arsenal)
• Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Josh King (Fulham), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
• Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)

What’s Next for England

England’s focus now shifts to the double-header against Croatia and Spain. These matches provide a platform for new players like Jobe Bellingham and Josh King to stake a claim for future involvement.