World Cup 2026: Surprises and snubs from global rosters

England

While Ancelotti surprised his players with World Cup call-ups in real time, England coach Thomas Tuchel took no chances: he notified all of his candidates of their status the day before the final roster was released to the public. Some took the news of their exclusion gracefully; others, like Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, immediately leaked the news to any reporter who would listen, presumably to get Tuchel back with a chaotic and unflattering news cycle. 

Turns out Tuchel didn't need Maguire's help to create one of those, though. His 26-man England lineup was chock full of eyebrow-raising decisions. Beloved 22-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton was nowhere to be found; reviled 35-year-old Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson was in his place, back for another go-round after a failed move to the Middle East in 2023. Inspiring but inconsistent attackers Phil Foden and Cole Palmer were dropped; Saudi-based convicted sports gambler Ivan Toney made the grade. It all felt haphazard and messy from a team that could be in with a shout for the trophy.

When asked about his curious choices, Tuchel was as blunt as ever. "I think from day one we were very clear we were trying to select and build the best possible team,” he said. “It is not necessarily to select the most talented 26 players. Teams win championships.”

Germany

Tuchel's England lineup featured some surprising faces, but none of them were actively retired at the time of their selection. That wasn't the case for Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann: he called up 40-year-old retired goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, then went one step further by declaring him his "number one keeper" for the tournament.

Neuer is incredible. He's arguably the most impactful goalkeeper of the past two decades: it was his work with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich that led to the rise in "sweeper keepers" across the globe. He's won the Champions League; he's won the World Cup. But the fact of the matter remains that he was fully retired from international duty before Nagelsmann recalled him. Bringing him back — and making him the undisputed first choice keeper — feels like deliberate regression on Nagelsmann's part.

The decision has left much of the German fanbase seething. Germany hasn't advanced past the group stage of a World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014, and it may well struggle in 2026: it's facing locked-down Ecuador, fast-paced Cote D'Ivoire and underrated Curacao side in its group this summer. It's hard to see a formerly retired goalkeeper raising its chances here, no matter how many trophies he won in his prime.

The 2026 World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11.