Kyle Walker Questions Tuchel About the Absence of Maguire, Shaw, Gibbs-White, and Foden From the 2026 World Cup Roster.

The controversy over the English squad list Walker questioned Tuchel's decisions and defended several key players who were left out of the World Cup.

Walker takes aim at Tuchel

Kyle Walker, a historic figure for the England national team, sparked controversy in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup by directly criticizing Thomas Tuchel's selections. The defender, now at Burnley, was surprised by the absence of Morgan Gibbs-White and Harry Maguire, names he considered vital to the team

In defense of Maguire

Walker expressed his concern about the defense, noting that several of the players called up are arriving in poor condition or with injuries, and highlighting the absence of players who would be in better shape than those called up by Tuchel. Regarding Maguire, he described his exclusion as one of the toughest decisions of the Tuchel era. The Manchester United defender, with 25 games played this season, confessed to being "surprised and gutted."

The other names that sparked controversy

The full-back also focused on John Stones' physical condition and Reece James' availability, two key players, but with doubts due to recent injuries. Although he praised his quality, he hinted that the defense could be a weak point. Consequently, he reinforced the case for Gibbs-White, a Nottingham Forest star with 18 goals this season, regretting that he was left out "because of someone's opinion."