Thomas Tuchel’s England omissions are strong enough to create a starting XI that would make a serious case against the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While it may sound like a stretch at first, the quality of the players left out makes the argument far more serious once the XI is viewed as a complete team.
England’s discarded group has Premier League winners, Champions League experience, tournament veterans, and two of the most creative attackers in Europe, which is why the hypothetical matchup is more than just social media bait.
Thomas Tuchel’s England left-out XI gives Phil Foden and Cole Palmer enough quality to trouble USA
The England XI left out by Thomas Tuchel could line up with Aaron Ramsdale in goal, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Levi Colwill in defense.
Adam Wharton, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Morgan Gibbs-White in midfield, then Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Welbeck in attack.
Foden and Palmer would be the biggest problems for the United States, as both can receive under pressure, turn in tight areas and create chances even when the match becomes congested.
Alexander-Arnold would also give the team a rare passing weapon from deep, especially if the USA tried to press high and leave space for Calvert-Lewin or Welbeck to attack.
With Wharton offering control from midfield and Gibbs-White adding energy around the final third, England’s omitted XI would have enough technical quality to play through pressure rather than depend only on crosses or direct balls.
England’s omitted World Cup XI would stretch USA beyond Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams
The United States would still be a dangerous opponent, particularly with Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Gio Reyna, and Folarin Balogun giving Mauricio Pochettino a strong core.
The main danger for England’s omitted XI would come in transition, where the USA could use pace and direct running to attack the space behind Alexander-Arnold and Shaw.
Even with those risks, England’s left-out side would still carry more individual match-winners across the pitch, particularly in the creative zones where Foden, Palmer, and Alexander-Arnold could decide the game with one pass or one moment of quality.
The USA’s best route would be energy, pressing, and home-tournament emotion, but England’s omitted XI would have the cleaner technical midfield, the deeper Premier League experience and the better final-third creators.
Tuchel may not have taken them to the World Cup, but this left-out England side would still look strong enough to beat the USA in a hypothetical tournament meeting.
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