Steven Gerrard admitted that he had been left ‘surprised’ by Thomas Tuchel’s decision not to include Trent Alexander-Arnold in his 35-man England squad for the last international break before the 2026 World Cup.
Although the Real Madrid defender’s season has been patchy at best due to his struggling with repeated injury, the size of the call-up has been designed to include as many candidates to travel to Stateside as possible.
By leaving Alexander-Arnold out even as he returns to fitness at the Bernabeu at the tail end of the season, Tuchel appears to have sent a strong message to the former Liverpool star that he is unlikely to travel this summer.
For Gerrard, the decision was not just a shock, but one of disappointment too, with little time having passed between a time where Alexander-Arnold was considered an England stalwart.
‘Very much so, (I was surprised),’ Gerrard said on punditry duty ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Brighton on Saturday morning. ‘Listen, we’ve got some good options at right back, Reece James is world class in my opinion, (Tino) Livramento – I know he’s had a couple of injuries, but he can play both sides.
‘I understand the selection but I just think, is Trent Alexander-Arnold in the best 35 players in this country? Of course he is.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s hopes of travelling with England to the World Cup have been left dangling by a thread
Fellow former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard admitted that he was not just surprised, but disappointed with the decision
‘And there are going to be certain games where England have to open the door, they might be against a low block, and it’s really frustrating. And Alexander-Arnold is one of these players who can come off the bench, and completely change the game with one pass. He’s that level of a player.
‘So I am surprised, and disappointed for him.’
However, Gerrard was open to considering other factors may have played a role in the German manager’s pick.
‘But there’s a lot of other circumstances to take into consideration – how much has he played?’ Gerrard wondered aloud. ‘Is he physically in his best condition? Is there stuff going on off the pitch?
‘Is it where (Tuchel) doesn’t want a group of players who are not going to be playing, or not in the first XI, who might be different people around the place? There’s a lot of things that might be taken into consideration before you select a squad for six weeks.’
Explaining his decision on Friday, Tuchel explained that he believes his chosen right backs – James, Livramento, Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Liverpool starlet Jarrell Quansah – offer a ‘slightly different profile’ to Alexander-Arnold.
He also admitted that he had not spoken to the former Liverpool academy graduate since making the decision, and ‘did not know’ if this was the end of the road for the player’s international chances under his stewardship.
Last year, Tuchel had highlighted Alexander-Arnold’s attacking contributions but expressed concerns over his defending.
‘I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort,’ Tuchel said last May.
‘I think there is a point to it. This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years, if he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.
‘Because when we are talking, especially, about qualifying football and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.’
The size of Tuchel’s squad is designed to give an opportunity for fringe players to audition during the first of two friendlies planned for the break, as well as a chance to ensure that players with a firmer grip on the starting XI get a well-deserved break amid a packed season.
