Kyle Walker, a former England defender, has raised his reservations about Thomas Tuchel’s decision to omit three key players from the FIFA World Cup roster.
He believes that Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, and Morgan Gibbs-White should have been included in the group that travelled to the United States this summer.
Walker told The Sun that Tuchel’s selection procedure is odd because it leaves out some strong performances.
He specifically highlighted Manchester United players Maguire and Shaw as key individuals who deserved a spot on the team, stating, “Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have likely had the most impressive seasons for Manchester United in quite some time, yet they are not participating in the tournament. I firmly believe that Luke Shaw should have been on the plane, and I also think Harry Maguire should have been included.”
Walker further expressed that his primary worry for England this summer lies within the defense. He is uncertain whether all the selected defenders can maintain their fitness and commented:
He said, “The defense… I believe there are several players who may not have performed exceptionally well or are dealing with injuries, raising doubts about whether they can be fully relied upon throughout the tournament. This is where I have reservations about some of them, but ultimately, I am not the manager.”
The Burnley player also mentioned Gibbs-White as another unexpected omission from the squad, adding, “I likely would have included Morgan Gibbs-White. He has been outstanding for Forest.”
In addition to this trio, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer have also been left out of England’s FIFA World Cup squad.
