Next month, Thomas Tuchel will select his final England squad before picking the 26 players who will head to the FIFA World Cup 2026™, as the Three Lions tackle friendlies with Uruguay and Japan.
With March signalling his final chance to have a look at his options, we’ve taken a look at five players who could force their way into the German’s thinking.
Josh Acheampong
Having players who can play in multiple positions is key in any World Cup squad, and in Chelsea’s Acheampong, Tuchel has a talented right-back who can play right across the backline.
A graduate of the Blues’ esteemed academy, 19-year-old Acheampong made his breakthrough last year and played 13 times as Chelsea lifted two trophies, including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. The 1.9m defender has already smashed that this term, featuring in 21 matches and netting his first Premier League goal in victory over Nottingham Forest last October. Quick, strong and elegant on the ball, few would bet against the youngster enjoying a lengthy England career.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Leeds United’s Calvert-Lewin is the only player on this list to have been capped by England, with the striker playing 11 times for the Three Lions from 2020 to 2021, before a series of injuries stalled his career for club and country.
The 28-year-old has, though, enjoyed a resurgence this term. Since moving to the Whites in August, he’s hit ten league goals and won the Player of the Month award for December after scoring six times in just five matches. A terrific aerial threat and an exceptional penalty taker, Calvert-Lewin will be hoping his form could push him into contention to be Harry Kane’s understudy.
James Garner
Midfielder Garner has missed just six league minutes this term, with only four outfielders bettering his tally of 2,334 at the time of writing. Those numbers are testament to his consistency, and the improvements the 24-year-old made to his game over the previous 12 months.
A bona fide all-rounder, Garner has made the second-most tackles and the third-most interceptions and recoveries among outfielders in the Premier League this season. Down the other end, he’s contributed to six goals in all competitions, despite playing as either a sitting midfielder or at full-back. Tuchel has options aplenty in midfield, but could use the March break as an opportunity to get a closer look at the UEFA U-21 EURO winner.
Fellow Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who stated his desire to represent England last November following speculation he could declare for the Republic of Ireland, is also enjoying a positive campaign and will certainly be on Tuchel’s radar.
Mateus Mane
Wolves are enduring a desperate campaign at the foot of the Premier League table, but in electric forward Mane, they have cause for optimism. Born in Portugal to Bissau-Guinean parents, Mane moved to Manchester in 2016 before joining the Old Gold in 2024, where he debuted in May of last year.
After a succession of impressive cameos off the bench, Mane made his first Wolves start with an eye-catching display away to Liverpool last December. He followed that up by scoring his first Premier League goal in a stellar showing versus West Ham, with another fine strike coming against Everton. Mane has only been capped at U18 level, but with pace to burn, a fearless attitude and the capability to play across the frontline, he could be the perfect wildcard for Tuchel.
Tyler Morton
Morton, like Garner, is an all-round central midfielder who has stood out with French giants Lyon following a move from boyhood club Liverpool.
The 23-year-old is a combative, hard-working and tough-tackling holder, who possesses a wide range of passing. Further forward, he’s scored two goals – including a fine strike versus Metz last month – while recording three assists in all competitions. Morton is also a UEFA EURO winner at U-21 level, assisting the winning strike for Jonathan Rowe in the 2025 showpiece with an inch-perfect cross.
