Getting left off a World Cup squad is the kind of thing that ends friendships, ignites tabloid wars, and occasionally produces a very pointed Instagram post. Cole Palmer, apparently, is not that guy.
The Chelsea forward has been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man England squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a decision that landed with a thud in the sports press and sparked immediate debate about Tuchel’s selection logic. Palmer’s response, delivered through an interview with i-D Magazine, was notably unbothered.
“I’m not crying over a decision you can’t change,” Palmer said, adding that “this season hasn’t been the best, but it is what it is.”
What happened and why it matters
Tuchel announced the 26-player England squad in mid-June 2026, ahead of a World Cup being hosted across North America. Palmer was one of the notable absentees. So was Phil Foden, whose omission amplified the sense that Tuchel was making a deliberate statement about the profile of player he wants for tournament football.
