The England manager has named an unchanged squad for the upcoming friendly against Wales and the World Cup qualifier versus Latvia, opting to retain the group that delivered strong performances last month.
In a notable decision, high-profile attacking talents Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been omitted from the selection. Despite Foden’s return to form with his club and Bellingham’s comeback from a shoulder operation, the coach has chosen continuity over individual reputation. Bellingham has been limited to a single start for his club since returning.
Bukayo Saka has been recalled to the squad following his recovery from injury, taking the place of his unavailable club teammate. There is, however, no recall for Jack Grealish.
The manager emphasized that the positive atmosphere and collective spirit demonstrated by the previous squad were decisive factors in his selection. He expressed a desire to maintain the momentum built during the last international break.
With a defender ruled out due to a knee issue, no direct replacement has been called up. Instead, John Stones returns to the fold after missing the previous camp. The manager highlighted Stones’s significance to the national team and suggested a potential role for him in midfield.
Another player who was previously called up but withdrew injured has not been included this time.
Explaining his rationale, the manager stated that “team spirit is the key factor,” praising the previous squad’s unity as the best of his tenure. He clarified that his relationships with the omitted players remain positive, noting that Bellingham had expressed a strong desire to be selected during a direct conversation.
“For special players, there can always be special rules,” the manager acknowledged. “However, for this camp, we decided on the straightforward choice to invite the same team. He absolutely deserves to be here, but on top of that, he hasn’t found his full rhythm yet. He is back with his club but has not yet completed a full match.”
The manager conceded that the national team is undoubtedly stronger with a player of Bellingham’s caliber, whom he ranked among the world’s best, and that Foden and others were also worthy of a place. He stressed that the current selection was more about continuing the positive development started in the last camp. A pathway back into the squad remains open for all players based on their performances at the club level, with no one guaranteed a spot on reputation alone.
One of the beneficiaries of this selection policy is a young defender who has not been a regular starter for his club this season. The manager issued a clear warning that simply being a positive presence in the camp would not be sufficient to retain a place in the long term, emphasizing that consistent club-level performance is mandatory.
