In a stunning reversal of fortune, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are expected to be left out of England's World Cup squad, according to BBC Sport. Just two years after they appeared destined to spearhead the national team's future, the pair have fallen victim to Thomas Tuchel's unforgiving selection criteria, which prizes current form over past reputation.
The duo's rise through the ranks had been nothing short of meteoric. At Euro 2024, Foden started the final against Spain, while Palmer came off the bench to score a dramatic equalizer, seemingly confirming their status as indispensable assets for the Three Lions. That year, Foden claimed the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, and Palmer was named England's Men's Player of the Year—a testament to their burgeoning influence. Both hailed from Manchester City's academy, and though Palmer had to leave for Chelsea to fully unlock his potential, their parallel trajectories seemed set to intersect again on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
Yet football's clock ticks fast. Palmer's productivity this season—nine goals in 25 Premier League appearances—pales in comparison to the electric form that saw him net 37 league goals across his first two campaigns at Stamford Bridge. The spark has dimmed; the moments of audacious brilliance that became his trademark have largely deserted him. Meanwhile, Foden's decline has been even more prolonged. A six-goal spree in five games before Christmas offered false hope, but he has not found the net since, a world away from his 27-goal haul in all competitions during the 2023-24 season.
Tuchel, appointed to deliver success at the World Cup, has made it clear that reputation counts for little. Outside of a few exceptions—perhaps John Stones—the manager relies on what players are delivering now, not what they achieved in yesteryear. Jude Bellingham remains untouchable despite past doubts from Tuchel, while Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers has cemented his place through consistent trust. Even Morgan Gibbs-White, the joint-top English scorer in the Premier League with 14 goals this season, has not done enough to force his way in; his only competitive minutes under Tuchel came against minnows Andorra.
The defining moment for Foden arrived in March's friendly against Uruguay. With captain Harry Kane absent, Foden was handed the coveted number 10 role—a golden chance to prove his worth. Instead, he drifted through the match as a peripheral figure, dropping deep in search of touches but offering little threat. Tuchel's patience snapped after just 56 minutes, substituting Foden for Palmer in a move that now reads like a final verdict. The experiment had failed, and Foden's international stock plummeted.
Injury then intervened to reshape the narrative. Arsenal's Eberechi Eze sat out those March friendlies, opening a window for Palmer and Foden to stake their claims. But England's uninspiring 1-1 draw with Uruguay and a 1-0 defeat to Japan only underscored the team's creative void. Without Eze, the attack lacked the pace and unpredictability that had become his hallmark under Tuchel. The coach emerged from that window more convinced than ever of Eze's critical role as a game-changer off the bench or a starter capable of stretching defenses.
Eze's statistical output for Arsenal—seven goals and two assists in the Premier League title-winning campaign—may not leap off the page, but his impact for England has been undeniable. Three goals in six World Cup qualifiers for Tuchel speak to a player who relishes the international stage and fits the manager's tactical blueprint. His ability to inject speed and trickery offers a contrast to the more robust styles of Bellingham and Rogers, making him an ideal third option in the attacking midfield pecking order.
For Palmer and Foden, the consequences are stark. Once viewed as automatic starters, they now find themselves outside the squad entirely, overtaken by a player who seized his opportunity while they faltered. The disappointment will sting, but it should also serve as a catalyst. At 23 and 24 respectively, time remains on their side, but they must rediscover the consistency and swagger that once made them untouchable.
The broader lesson from Tuchel's selection is clear: in elite international football, the past is a foreign country. The manager's willingness to discard household names in favor of form-driven choices sends a powerful message to every player in the England setup—perform now or risk being left behind. With the World Cup on the horizon, no one is safe, and that ruthless edge may be exactly what England needs to end decades of tournament heartbreak.
As the dust settles on a dramatic squad announcement, the omissions of Palmer and Foden will be debated for weeks. Their decline from heroes of Euro 2024 to World Cup outcasts reflects the brutal speed of the sport, where yesterday's stars can quickly become tomorrow's afterthoughts. Whether they can reclaim their places depends on how they respond to this professional setback.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
