Thomas Tuchel begins his tenure as England manager with two World Cup qualifiers in March, with Albania and Latvia visiting Wembley Stadium.
The start of a new era under the German for the Three Lions, England will be hoping this is the beginning of a story that will end with a World Cup triumph in New Jersey on 19th July 2026.
Tuchel’s appointment could also open the door to a number of rarely seen or new faces on the international stage, so we’ve looked at 10 players who could get their first call-up or be brought back into the squad.
Date
Opposition
H/A
Competition
Fri 21st Mar
Albania
H
World Cup qualifier
Mon 24th Mar
Latvia
H
World Cup qualifier
Sat 7th Jun
Andorra
A
World Cup qualifier
Sat 6th Sep
Andorra
H
World Cup qualifier
Tue 9th Sep
Serbia
A
World Cup qualifier
Tue 14th Oct
Latvia
A
World Cup qualifier
Thu 13th Nov
Serbia
H
World Cup qualifier
Sun 16th Nov
Albania
A
World Cup qualifier
10 England players who can shine under Thomas Tuchel
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ByCharlie SmithOct 16, 2024 1 Morgan Rogers Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers is turning into a Premier League star under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, but he’s only ever had one England call-up.
That came from interim manager Lee Carsley in 2024, and since then, Rogers has continued to impress in the top flight. Capable of scoring goals and providing assists, he’s into double figures for goal contributions in the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Rogers also has the versatility of playing out wide or behind a striker, and on current form, you’d think he has a serious chance of making Tuchel’s first squad.
2 Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal
Myles Lewis-Skelly has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta this season, featuring regularly at left-back in recent months.
Still just 18 years of age, Lewis-Skelly scored his first senior goal for the Gunners in the recent win over Manchester City. On the international stage, the teenager has only represented England up to U19 level, but there has been talk that Tuchel is ready to fast-track him into the senior Three Lions squad.
3 Ethan Nwaneri Arsenal
Another Gunners teenager starring at the Emirates Stadium this season is attacker Ethan Nwaneri, so it could be a matter of time until Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri share the international stage.
The 17-year-old is another who has yet to perform above England U19s, but he has scored seven goals in all competitions for Arsenal and looks to be a star in the making for club and country.
4 Liam Delap Ipswich Town
At some point, England will have to find a long-term replacement for Harry Kane, and Liam Delap has been showing signs he could be that man this season.
After making a permanent move to Ipswich Town over the summer from Manchester City, Delap has impressed in a struggling Tractor Boys side, scoring nine times in the top flight.
The only Englishmen to score more than Delap in the Premier League this term are Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins, so a call-up could be on the cards.
5 James Trafford Burnley
Tuchel is also reportedly looking at the Championship when it comes to selecting his England squad, making Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford a standout candidate to earn a senior Three Lions debut.
Of course, Trafford has plenty of international experience at youth level, starring for the Young Lions as they won the U21 European Championship in 2023 under Lee Carsley, with six clean sheets and his last-minute penalty save crowning them as champions.
Called up in the past, Trafford is still awaiting his first senior cap, but has been excellent for the Clarets this season, with Scott Parker’s side on course to beat a number of defensive records. His two late penalty stops against promotion rivals Sunderland will surely have caught the eye recently.
6 Jamie Gittens Borussia Dortmund
Exciting winger Jamie Gittens has been following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho after swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund as a teenager.
He has been starring in the Bundesliga – a league Tuchel knows well – and has also been progressing for England as an U21 international. The next step would be a senior call-up, something the ex-Dortmund head coach can now hand him.
7 Jobe Bellingham Sunderland
With Tuchel keeping his eye on the second tier in England, Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham – younger brother of Jude – could be another player in line for a senior call-up sooner rather than later.
The 19-year-old has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs after his starring displays at the Stadium of Light. He can play in a variety of midfield roles, so perhaps he’ll be lining up alongside Jude in the near future.
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Although Tottenham Hotspur have been struggling in the 2024/25 season, Archie Gray has impressed in his first Premier League campaign after joining from Leeds United.
Primarily a midfielder who has been used at right-back and centre-back for large parts of his senior career, Gray is showing maturity beyond his years, and it seems to be a matter of when, rather than if, he will be called up by England.
9 Elliot Anderson Nottingham Forest
Arguably going under the radar at Nottingham Forest is Elliot Anderson, who left Newcastle United for the City Ground last summer. The 22-year-old has been a regular under Nuno Espirito Santo, with the flying Reds pushing for a European spot next season.
Anderson has been one of Forest’s top performers, as per WhoScored, and due to the fact he has represented both England and Scotland at U21 level, Tuchel may want to pip the Tartan Army by offering him a competitive England cap.
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1 ByRoss KilvingtonFeb 10, 2025 10 Chris Rigg Sunderland
Alongside Jobe Bellingham, there is another exciting young midfielder at Sunderland in Chris Rigg. Still just 17 years of age, Rigg is already being courted by the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
It seems as if it is a matter of time until he is playing Premier League football and representing England, so Tuchel may be tempted to give Rigg a senior call-up if he needs a left-footed midfielder.
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