Jamie Carragher picked his England World Cup squad on Monday night, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Jordan Henderson included in his selection.
The World Cup gets underway in under 140 days, and Thomas Tuchel will name his squad following the March international break, which will give him his final chance to see his players before naming his selection.
It has not been confirmed whether 23 or 26 players – or perhaps a different number – will be in the international squads, but it is expected that the number will remain at 26, which was the squad size for the last tournament in Qatar back in 2022, as well as Euro 2024.
The Sky Sports pundit was handed a number of options for each position on Monday Night Football, eventually whittling down the number of players to 26. And though the likes of Mainoo and Henderson got the nod, some big hitters missed out.
Carragher first picked out his ‘certainties’ for the squad, naming 10 players.
They included Jude Bellingham, who has been in and out of favour under Tuchel following criticism for his behaviour on the field by the German coach.
Jamie Carragher has selected his England World Cup squad, leaving out some big hitters
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo made the cut following his return to the Red Devils team under Michael Carrick
Also on the list was goalkeeper Jordan Pickford – who will almost certainly be England’s No1 again – Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Bukayo Saka, and captain Harry Kane.
Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink said that Luke Shaw should be added to the selection if he remains fit, and Carragher pointed out that his list of 10 players was pretty much a full XI without a left back.
The former Netherlands international then pushed the need for big characters in the side, also citing John Stones and Harry Maguire as potential certain inclusions.
Listed as potential options for the other goalkeeper spots were Dean Henderson, who was branded a ‘contender,’ and Newcastle duo Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale, who were put in the ‘outsiders’ category. James Trafford was, though not listed initially, selected in Carragher’s squad alongside Henderson.
At full back, Nico O’Reilly, Tino Livramento, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Djed Spence were considered as contenders, while listed as outsiders were Myles Lewis-Skelly, Lewis Hall, Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker, Luke Shaw and Tyrick Mitchell.
Carragher said: ‘I looked at the left backs and O’Reilly has done brilliant. But it is the glaring position – I am a huge fan of Lewis Hall. I was looking at Lewis-Skelly… I thought he would be playing in this team, but he doesn’t play for Arsenal.
‘I would just go with Lewis Hall and Luke Shaw. He [Shaw] has that experience as well. And I am a big fan of Tino Livramento – he can play both sides – and I would put Trent in there. He would be one of the wildcards, not for the fact he is the right back, but for his quality. I am not thinking he can play right back against a top winger, but I would have him as a wildcard who you can bring off the bench.’
At centre back, John Stones, Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah and Jarell Quansah were considered as contenders, with Maguire, Joe Gomez, Levi Colwill, Jarrad Branthwaite, Fikayo Tomori and Josh Acheampong listed as ‘outsiders.’
John Stones (right) was branded ‘the best English centre back of this generation’ – but there was no room for him in the squad
Carragher said: ‘John Stones has been the best English centre back of this generation and he is so unfortunate with injuries. We have got Livramento in the squad, who struggles with injuries, but he is almost in there as a squad player. With Stones, I feel he has to play enough football. I hope I am wrong.
‘I know Dan Burn is highly thought of, but I am a fan of Chalobah. He has been fantastic for Chelsea – he has emerged as the leader there. Out of those I go with Chalobah, and with the outsiders… I think if Harry Maguire can stay fit and build a partnership with [Lisandro] Martinez [at Manchester United], I would take him before I take Dan Burn. He has the edge in terms of as a player and experience.’
Carragher then tackled the midfield. He was confident that Jordan Henderson would go to the tournament in North America, insisting that Tuchel ‘felt there was a lack of leaders in the squad’ when he took over from Gareth Southgate and he therefore feels Henderson is a key member of his squad.
He added: ‘Henderson isn’t in the Brentford team, but, when you talk about 26 players, I think you can [select him]. He’s not just in there for the football – he has had an amazing England career – he may be taken as a wildcard, be a bridge between the coaching and playing staff.’
Also listed as contenders were Adam Wharton, Alex Scott, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Morgan Gibbs-White. The outsiders were Conor Gallagher, Curtis Jones, Mainoo, Mason Mount, James Garner and Lewis Miley.
Carragher selected Mainoo and Wharton from the list, saying of the Manchester United man: ‘It is on his [last] two performances, but [also] what he has done for England. He has played in a final.
‘He has to have a good run, but what we saw him do for England, the Netherlands game [Euro 2024 semi-final], his performance that night at such a young age… it was like he was playing with his mates. I couldn’t believe it.’
Then adding to his selection of wingers and No10s, Carragher said: ‘Cole Palmer is not a certainty, but he is a wonderful footballer. It is not going well for him at Chelsea with injuries, but remember his performance against PSG in the Club World Cup final. He was out of this world. He has scored in a final [for England, Euro 2024]. He goes.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson gets the nod for Carragher – but seemingly not just for footballing reasons
There was also no place in the squad for either Jarrod Bowen (right) or six-time Premier League winner Kyle Walker (left)
‘For me, Phil Foden goes too. But you couldn’t play them both [Foden and Palmer] in the same team. I think Rashford, and I had a decision… I don’t think the outsiders have done enough. I decided to go with Anthony Gordon – he has been the go-to guy. He needs to add more goals, but him ahead of [Noni] Madueke, who I don’t think will play enough football.’
They were picked over Madueke, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Harvey Barnes, Ethan Nwaneri and Matheus Mane.
That left Carragher with one more player to select as back-up to Kane. The options presented were Ollie Watkins, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke, Ivan Toney, Danny Welbeck, Liam Delap and Tammy Abraham.
When asked who he would choose, Carragher said: ‘I am going to go with Ollie Watkins. Calvert-Lewin is in fantastic form, but Watkins is playing for one of the top teams in the country, did really well at the last tournament, and I don’t think there is much between them.’
Carragher’s final squad was then presented to him, with the big names that were left out, ultimately, the likes of six-time Premier League winner Walker, Stones, Eze and Bowen.
Provisional squads for the World Cup could be named in May, with the final selections expected soon after that.
England will take on Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stage, with their first match kicking off at 9pm on June 17.
