Kyle Walker has cast doubt on Thomas Tuchel’s first tournament squad, saying England should have taken Morgan Gibbs-White, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire to the 2026 World Cup. Speaking at a special preview event hosted by The Sun, the former England defender questioned whether the balance of the side was right after the German manager left out three players he believes had earned their place.
Walker did not hide where he thought the calls had gone wrong. He said he would have taken Gibbs-White, who he described as fantastic for Forest, and added that Shaw and Maguire should both have been on the plane. The former Manchester City right back also said the defence included players who had not played too well or were carrying injuries, raising doubts over whether they could be relied on across the length of a tournament.
The remarks landed now because Tuchel has only just named his maiden England squad for the World Cup, and the omissions immediately prompted debate about how he sees the team shaping up. Walker, 36, has 96 caps and has spent nearly a decade around major international squads, so his view carried the weight of a player who knows how these decisions look from inside the dressing room. He also pointed to the form of Maguire and Shaw at Manchester United, saying the pair had probably had the best seasons for the club in a long time.
Maguire’s own response showed how sharply the decision cut. He was shocked and gutted to be left out despite making 25 appearances for Manchester United this term, a reminder that the debate is not just about selection theory but about what the players themselves believe they have done on the pitch. Tuchel’s choices have put fitness and form under the microscope, especially with John Stones and Reece James also drawing concern from Walker as he looked at the make-up of the squad.
There is still no explanation in the selection itself for why Tuchel opted against Gibbs-White, Shaw and Maguire, and that silence is now part of the story. Walker’s challenge has given the first real public pushback to the squad, and it has left Tuchel with a clear question to answer before the tournament begins: whether he trusts his current balance, or whether these omissions will be judged as the calls that defined his opening major test.
