Spence back but no Mainoo, Palmer or O’Reilly
Madueke also overlooked but Gibbs-White in
Jobe Bellingham has been given a first England call-up by Thomas Tuchel, joining his brother Jude in the squad. The head coach has also called up Josh King and Ben White for Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.
Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nico O’Reilly are not in the squad but Djed Spence has returned. Dean Henderson and Jordan Henderson remain on the outside but Trent Alexander-Arnold has retained his place.
Jobe Bellingham plays for Jude’s former club Borussia Dortmund, whom he joined from Sunderland in the summer of 2025. He is used by Dortmund as a No 6 but is also comfortable as a No 8, his position with England’s under-21s. “I saw the excitement straight away in his smile,” Tuchel said of calling up Jobe.
Goalkeepers Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter), Ben White (Arsenal)
Midfielders Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Josh King (Fulham), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)
Twenty-one sets of brothers have played for England’s men’s team, the most recent three being Nathaniel and Trevoh Chalobah, Gary and Phil Neville and Bobby and Jack Charlton.
Tuchel said of selecting Jobe Bellingham: “We have a slight issue in centre midfield because Alex Scott is not ready. Unfortunately he picked up an injury in the last camp. He had a fantastic camp and can’t be with us. Myles [Lewis-Skelly], who played in all four matches in the last camp, picked up a yellow card and is suspended for the Croatia match so that leaves us a little bit short in central midfield, especially for the first match.
“Lee Carsley [the Under-21s manager] has been talking highly about Jobe for weeks and months; that he deserves, if there is a spot, to make an impression in the first team. He had good matches for Dortmund. He deserves to be with us.”
King has impressed with Fulham and the 19-year-old midfielder was part of England’s pre-World Cup warm-up camp in the summer but did not play. Morgan Gibbs-White and James Garner, late call-ups in September after players pulled out injured, have been included.
Tuchel said of King: “He made a top impression as a person and also as a player [in the pre-World Cup camp]. Now it’s just a moment to pick him because he’s very flexible. He can train in all four offensive positions. He can show he is a good alternative on the wings and maybe in the No 10 position. So it’s the moment to have a look at him and reward him for a good start to the season.”
White won the most recent of his six caps in March against Japan and has been a Premier League regular for Arsenal this season, albeit he was on the bench for last weekend’s win at Liverpool. “It’s about time,” Tuchel said of White. “We tried many times to call up Ben. Knock on wood, he stays fit and is available because he’s in impressive form.”
Tuchel urged fans not to repeat any booing of White, who was jeered at Wembley in March after making an early departure from the 2022 World Cup. “He deserves to open a new chapter and he deserves positive feedback from the crowd,” Tuchel said.
Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Tino Livramento, John Stones, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford were out of contention owing to injuries. Dan Burn, Phil Foden, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney have continued to be overlooked and Rico Lewis, who got a late call-up for the previous camp, has been left out.
England are at home to Croatia on Thursday, when Harry Kane is in line to win a record-breaking 126th cap for the men’s team, and play in Spain three days later.
Tuchel described Kane as an “extraordinary player” and made reference to the striker’s Ballon d’Or, secured last week. “It’s just an incredible achievement that these two occasions come together in one and we are a witness to this in person. He wins the Ballon d’Or, and deservedly so, and in the next game for England he gets the all-time record … It just underlines his professional status and his demeanour and attitude.”
