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England Head Coach Reveals Why He Left Trent Alexander-Arnold Out Of Latest Squad

Originally posted on Real Madrid CF on SI
By Jordan Merritt | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 7:10 AM ET

Real Madrid play their final La Liga game on August 30 before the September international break. Several Los Blancos players have been called up for international duty, with some teams facing critical World Cup qualifying games. Xabi Alonso will see players such as Brahim Díaz, Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Dani Carvajal, and others potentially play up to two extra games.

Real Madrid's Brazilian players will not make the trip to South America, which is good news for Alonso, as it gives them a chance to rest. Another player who will not be playing for his country is right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. He was not called up for the upcoming games, with head coach Thomas Tuchel favoring other options.

It's excellent news for Alonso, but it will be a blow for Alexander-Arnold, who misses out on representing his country.

Thomas Tuchel a Big Fan of Trent Alexander-Arnold

England have a wealth of talent at several positions, including at right-back. Thomas Tuchel spoke in his press conference about leaving Trent out of the squad and why he opted for the two other players, Chelsea's Reece James and Newcastle United's Tino Livramento.

There's no doubt I'm a big fan of Trent, for his talent and his personality, but for this squad I've opted for Reece (James) and Tino (Livramento). He's a great player who will always be among the options to come. I know he wanted to come, which is very important. I've opted for others only for competition.Thomas Tuchel

Many have pointed to Alexander-Arnold's lack of defensive qualities as to why Tuchel has not called him up. The 26-year-old has always been labelled as one of the best attacking defenders in the world, but lacks defensive awareness. He has been deployed in midfield by previous England coaches, with the aim of getting the best out of him. However, he has never been a constant starter during his time in the squad.

There is less than a year before the major tournament, which is set to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. That is plenty of time for Trent to show that he can be an asset in both areas of his game.

England will face Andorra and Serbia in important World Cup qualifying games. Sitting on nine points, winning both games would put them very close to qualification for the 2026 World Cup next summer.

This article first appeared on Real Madrid CF on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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