England Star Sent Home by Thomas Tuchel Ahead of Latvia Qualifier
England can qualify for the 2026 World Cup with a win in Riga.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: England, Ollie Watkins, Injury, Thomas Tuchel, Football
Luke Davies
Topics: England, Ollie Watkins, Injury, Thomas Tuchel, Football
An England player has been forced to withdraw from the Three Lions camp ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
Thomas Tuchel’s side can confirm their place in next summer’s World Cup with a win against the Eastern European nation in Riga on Tuesday, but they will not have the services of one player to call upon.
Several players have already pulled out of Tuchel’s camp, including Reece James, who was replaced by Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly ahead of the 3-0 friendly win against Wales.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah pulled out of the trip to Latvia due to a knee injury, further depleting Tuchel’s squad.
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And it has now been confirmed that Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins will play no part against Latvia.
England said Watkins “has not recovered from a knock sustained against Wales” and has returned to his club, meaning Tuchel has just 22 players at his disposal for the trip to Latvia. No further additions are expected to be made to the squad.
Captain Harry Kane did not feature against Wales due to an ankle injury, but could return against Latvia.
Tuchel could also utilise Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon in a more central role in Watkins' absence. England lead Group K with five wins and are yet to concede a goal.
After Tuesday's qualifier, the England squad will next meet up in November when they will face Serbia at home and Albania away before the final international break of the season takes place in March.
The 2026 World Cup is now just 241 days away, giving Tuchel a short period to decide on his best squad for the tournament.
The German has already made it clear that he is not afraid to leave out high-profile players, with Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham among the names omitted from the October squad.
Tuchel insisted that the "competition" for places is on ahead of the World Cup, following his side's win over Wales last Thursday.
“At the moment, it is only about the players who are in camp,” Tuchel said. “The competition is on. They [the players in the current squad] deserve it also."
He added: "The door is always open for anyone to jump in. [Against Wales] we had four changes from the match in Serbia. We were forced to do four changes but it was seamless and everyone who started played with the same energy. We only had one and a half days to prepare so I am happy with the camp. Happy that we can prove another point. Next camp is the next nomination."