'Teams win championships' – Tuchel convinced England have quality to win the World Cup

Thomas Tuchel says England have their eyes on the World Cup trophy, noting "teams win championships" after naming his squad for the tournament.

Tuchel has left some high-profile names out of his 26-man party, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Harry Maguire – who announced he was not included on social media on Thursday – among those not selected.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Adam Wharton and James Garner are also absent despite impressive individual campaigns.

Tuchel has chosen to include John Stones, who has struggled with injuries this season, and Jordan Henderson for experience, while Ivan Toney was a surprise inclusion, having played just seven minutes for England since Euro 2024.

Twenty-two of England's squad for the 2026 World Cup have won a trophy with their club since the start of last season.

And the German head coach noted how important it was to have the right balance in his team if they want to go all the way.

"Of course, you saw our squad selection for the World Cup, which is an exciting day for me and for everyone selected," Tuchel said.

"I think from day one we were very clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select and collect the 26 most talented players.

"Teams win championships; it is as simple as that. What we are trying to achieve in the summer can only be achieved as a team.

"I heard a quote from Rafael Nadal: 'I'm not a winner, I'm a competitor'. That's how I arrive in the US for this tournament.

"It's about building a brotherhood and a certain energy, then we can transmit that to our fans. Once we get that right, anything is possible.

"We will try to win this tournament. But it makes no sense to try to digest the whole cake at once; we will chunk it up.

"The goal is to try to win it and not be shy about it, respect the game and the opponents and the amount and the obstacles that come with the tournament itself.

"I can assure every fan in the country that we have 26 100% committed players in camp with us, who know their role, who are ready to buy into their role, on and off the pitch, who are ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish."

In a social media post on Thursday, Maguire said he was "disappointed and gutted" not to be playing at a third World Cup for England.

Asked about Maguire's statement, Tuchel said: "I was a bit surprised, but I respect his personality a lot, I respect his quality a lot.

"He has had an outstanding season. I can see the disappointment. I can see the reason behind the disappointment.

"Still, I was a bit surprised because we had a private conversation, and he had the chance to express his feelings, which he did, and this is fair enough because I can see all the reasons why he could be in the squad.

"But the decision is that we stood firmly with our central defenders that carried us through September, October and November.

"Some of them are part of the leadership group that took ownership and set the standards high. It was a decision for these 26 players, even if it feels against individuals."