The 2026 World Cup, with its long, hot summer days crammed with matches, feels like a distant memory almost two months on from its finale.
That said, it will probably take a long while for England fans to block out their painful semi-final defeat to Argentina. That fateful night saw the Three Lions go in front just after the break through Anthony Gordon only for the three-time winners to inflict heartbreak by scoring twice late on.
There’s been plenty of recrimination since then with many questioning whether manager Thomas Tuchel deserved the chance to put it right. The FA stuck by their man and later this week he will name his first squad since a nation’s dreams were shattered.
Attentions turn towards the Nations League with an elongated international break seeing England play four games across a two-week period. They will host Spain before back-to-back away games in Czechia and Croatia. They then round off the quartet of games with a visit from the Czechs.
There’s a decent amount of churn expected with regards the squad Tuchel picks. Here, we take a stab at five players who could make the cut – including some left-field choices:
Cole Palmer
Chelsea’s Palmer was a shock omission from the squad that went to the World Cup, albeit after an admittedly average 2025-26 campaign.
This season he’s started brightly with six goal contributions already to his name and has worked well with old pal Morgan Rogers as the Blues look for a vast improvement under Xabi Alonso.
With Phil Foden – another who sat out the summer – unlikely to be called up after his red card in the Manchester derby last week, it looks ready-made for Palmer to make his return to the Three Lions.
Rio Ngumoha
The young winger, who only recently turned 18, has featured in all but one of Liverpool’s games this season. He burst on to the scene a year ago and Tuchel clearly rates the youngster as he was invited to join the squad in Florida in the build-up to the World Cup.
Ngumoha featured in a friendly win over New Zealand and whilst he is firmly one for the future, don’t rule out a call-up this early on in the season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The Leeds United striker feels like a shoo-in for Tuchel’s first squad since the summer. He’s started this season in fine fettle, with three goals in six outings. He also notched 15 times last season and has clearly picked up where he left off.
Add that to his all-round hold-up play, as part of an exciting Leeds side, and it feels like he’d be a more sensible pick ahead of Saudi-based Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney.
Leif Davis
Davis already has four goal contributions in six games for an Ipswich side that many expected to struggle this season after promotion.
The 26-year-old – a product of the famed Wallsend Boys Club up in the North-east – is an unusual one in that he has never represented England at any level so can be firmly described as a mid to late bloomer. A call-up would come as a surprise to many, but never say never.
Will Lankshear
It’s not often that England managers dip down into the Championship when putting together their squads. There’s a handful of examples down the years, including David Nugent and Jay Bothroyd during the late 2000s and early 2010s.
But Lankshear feels different. First of all, he moved to Middlesbrough in the summer for a mammoth £20m fee from Tottenham. Secondly, he’s clearly in his pomp with nine goals already under his belt for his new employers. At just 21, he could be the perfect player to integrate into the senior squad now ahead of what looks like a bright career at the top level.
