Alexander-Arnold display shows why England need him – and why Tuchel won't pick him for World Cup

Suraj Radia

• 8 Apr 2026 09:30 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a starter for Real Madrid and created a goal in a Champions League quarter-final but the right-back could still find himself being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Alexander-Arnold has often been hailed as one of the best technical players England have ever produced and the 27-year-old showed why against Bayern Munich on Tuesday with a superb assist to keep his side in the tie.

The former Liverpool star picked out a precise low cross from the right flank into the perfect position for Kylian Mbappe to tap in a goal that gives Real Madrid a fighting chance of overturning a 2-1 deficit and progressing to the Champions League semi-final next week.

The goal came at a time when Madrid were struggling to find a way past Manuel Neuer and looked out of ideas against a disciplined Bayern side, only for Alexander-Arnold to showcase the creativity England have often lacked at decisive moments in recent tournaments.

Yet, the match perfectly encapsulated the duality of Alexander-Arnold after he was left flat-footed for Bayern’s first-half opener which saw Luis Diaz ghost past the defender and find plenty of space away from his former Liverpool teammate.

While many fans will call on Tuchel to ignore the defensive deficiencies of one of their most elite talents, the England coach may feel vindicated in his continued decision to look past Alexander-Arnold in the name of stability and focus in his back line.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: Why England's most impactful right-back may be left watching the 2026 World Cup at home

Alexander-Arnold has had a mixed first year in Madrid since joining the club last summer after his contract expired at Liverpool, with just nine starts in La Liga this season.

However, the defender has featured heavily since coming back from injury in February and he has provided four assists in 12 matches during that time, including one in each of his last three appearances.

Yet, Alexander-Arnold has only played once for England since Tuchel’s appointment at the start of 2025 and he was a surprise exclusion in the most recent squad, which saw a number of fringe players included to try and make a late push to feature at the World Cup this summer.

Tuchel refused to be drawn into any debates over Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion and insisted he knew what the Real Madrid star brings to the team, preferring instead to assess the likes of Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Benjamin White.

The suggestion is that Alexander-Arnold will not make a sudden resurgence into Tuchel’s squad with two months to go until the World Cup, particularly if Chelsea’s Reece James also regains fitness by then.

But the Liverpudlian showed against Bayern that he can undoubtedly provide inspiration at a time when his team needs it most and create a chance that the majority of players in world football would be unable to replicate, even if he sacrifices some defensive integrity along the way.

While the likes of Livramento and White can offer more stability in the back line, they are not considered game changers in the same way and would only be used if James is unavailable, with much less impact.

Tuchel, understandably, will have doubts over using Alexander-Arnold in more tense games against top attacking units but England's chances of success are stronger with their most capable players in the squad, even if he is only to be used situationally, such as the group stage against weaker sides who sit deeper, giving James a chance to rest too.

For Trent, a post of 'Madrid y nada mas' (Madrid and nothing else) after his exclusion said it all and the defender will look to finish the season strongly for his club, knowing that he may be forced to watch the World Cup on TV even as a newly key player for Los Blancos.

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