Tuchel Called Forgotten England Star the 'Full Package' but Has Never Played Him

Thomas Tuchel labelled one forgotten player the 'full package' but is yet to include him in an England squad.

On Tuesday evening, Tuchel will take charge of his eighth game as England manager when the Three Lions take on Latvia in a match that could secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup next summer.

Since replacing former boss Gareth Southgate after his resignation following England's loss to Spain in the final of Euro 2024, Tuchel has impressed, winning all but one of his games in charge of the national team.

Victory in Riga on Tuesday would be one of the most important of Tuchel's tenure so far as it would mean guaranteed to finish top of Group K and therefore gain automatic qualification to the World Cup, which is set to be hosted across North America.

Despite this, Tuchel isn't set to play one player that he decided to leave out of England's squad despite describing him as the 'full package'.

Tuchel has impressed since taking charge of England. (Image: Getty)

Although the Three Lions job was Tuchel's first international role, it wasn't his first in England as the German boss spent over a year in charge of Chelsea.

During his time at the London club, Tuchel led them to victory in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City and is often credited for playing a key role in the development of several players.

One of the players that was clearly impacted by his time working with Tuchel, is Mason Mount, making 87 appearances under him during his spell at Stamford Bridge.

During their time together, Tuchel was incredibly complimentary about Mount, praising him for his attitude towards training and eagerness to improve

Speaking in 2021, he said: “He has the full package. Mentally, in terms of talent and physically and the most important part is his character, he has his feet on the ground and he’s a nice guy.

“He comes to Cobham every day to learn something new and have new experiences.

“It’s a pleasure to have him, be at his side and guide him and support him. It’s impressive, he’s not affected by all the praise. This is maybe the most important part.

“He seems to be a guy who likes the sport and feels an obligation to make the most out of it and he wants it absolutely badly, so it’s a top mix.”

Mason Mount scored against Sunderland in his last appearance for United. (Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Around the time Tuchel was in charge at Chelsea, Mount was a regular for England, racking up a total of 36 caps and five goals for England.

However, the midfielder's career took an unfortunate turn in recent seasons with a series of injuries holding him back.

Because of this, Tuchel is yet to include Mount in any of his England squads since taking charge at the beginning of the year.

But with Mount recently finding his feet under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United and Tuchel clearly a big fan of him as a player, it's possible that he find his way back into England's squad ahead of the World Cup next summer.