Why Tuchel is still ignoring Trent Alexander-Arnold as his England exile closes in on 500 days

Trent Alexander-Arnold will probably not make it to 500 days since he last played for England. He is on 477 as of today, and would need to be overlooked by Thomas Tuchel in the next three games of this international break for that criminality to come to pass.

Yet his exile not ending here at Wembley against Spain – the country where he now resides as a right back for Real Madrid – prompted questions. Some of which were put to England's manager.

Tuchel was squirming in his seat a little at his press conference, it never being nice to be quizzed on why your side lost, even if it was to a team as terrific as Luis de la Fuente’s Spain.

It was the topic of Alexander-Arnold and his preference for Jarell Quansah – of Bayer Leverkusen, ordinarily a centre back – in the position of right back which drew the tetchiest exchange.

Told he could have used the technical qualities of Alexander-Arnold, especially towards the end while chasing an equaliser at 3-2 down, Tuchel said: ‘There was a lot of defending to do as well. One-on-one defending. Marc Guehi followed in midfield so we ended up in a back three. We needed Jarell’s speed and Jarell’s quality to think also as a central defender. Jarell did excellent.’

What sort of game would you use Alexander-Arnold in, then? Tuchel: ‘We have three more games. I have a choice to make for 11 players and for five subs. Nothing else.’

You seem to be suggesting it came down to his defensive qualities versus his technical qualities? Tuchel: ‘I made a decision for Jarell Quansah to stay on the pitch.’

And that is fair enough. He is the England manager. He decides what’s what. He wanted to stop Spain, a side now unbeaten in their last 39 matches, from winning again.

Yet we can still wonder – and indeed Alexander-Arnold must have been wondering – why he went unused. The last time he won a cap for England was June 7, 2025 – 477 days ago as a substitute in a 1-0 win against Andorra. The last time he started was October 13, 2024 – 714 days ago in a 3-1 win over Finland in which he scored from a 25-yard free-kick.

England were trailing 3-2 here after 74 minutes. Alexander-Arnold watched as Morgan Gibbs-White, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jarrad Branthwaite were introduced thereafter. Good header of the ball, Calvert-Lewin. Might have been nice to have a crosser in there, too. A quarterback capable of a Hail Mary.

Alexander-Arnold, still only 27, is a positive player. Some criticise him for his primary focus being to progress play. Whether that be via a pass punched into an attacking area, a switch across the pitch, a cross into those two yards of space beyond a striker – whatever.

Yet we can spin this the other way. He assisted six goals for Liverpool in the Champions League quarter and semi-finals in his career. He creates. He sees. He tries.

Tuchel appears concerned by what he has seen, the times he did not track this runner or that.

Without him, England still conceded three goals. Two came directly from Guehi and Nico O’Reilly giving up the ball – a Manchester City duo adding to the train of thought that the news of this week has been a distraction, their players’ WhatsApp group presumably a stream of speculation. The third involved a few at fault as Quansah, Guehi and Ezri Konsa all watched the passing move happen in front of them while the ball went from Aymeric Laporte to Alex Baena to Mikel Oyarzabal to the goal. Konsa exchanged words with Quansah after Spain’s winner.

It was a game which did not carry the tension of that seen at a World Cup. It felt like a Nations League fixture. Certainly in its concentration levels from England’s defenders.

Reece James is England’s right back, we know that, but his injury history is what it is and Chelsea think of him as more of a midfielder nowadays, presumably partially because of his body. Ben White has his historical issues when it comes to his country. Tino Livramento withdrew from this camp. Without them, Quansah was picked over Alexander-Arnold, and he played to the end.

But for a slip from Harry Kane as he took his penalty, England might have made it 3-1 and won. Then we might never have been discussing this problem. Yet they did, and we are, picking over the carcass of another match which Tuchel could have been celebrating rather than lamenting.

Alexander-Arnold might be a little low on confidence, understandably so. He has only started three of Real Madrid’s eight games in all competitions this season, twice a substitute, a trio of times unused. Going ignored against Spain will hardly have helped him in that regard. Now to see if he gets a crack against Czechia on Tuesday. He should in some form.