Why Is Trent Alexander-Arnold Not on England's World Cup Roster?
Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn't played consistently for England since 2024 and his sole appearance since Thomas Tuchel took charge of the national team in early 2025 was a 26-minute cameo in an uncomfortably narrow win over Andorra that June.
The Real Madrid right back hasn't been selected by his country even once this season-not always because of injury-so his omission from the 2026 World Cup wasn't exactly a surprise in a squad announcement that was otherwise full of them.
Alexander-Arnold was overlooked at the very start of this season, England's first camp since his summer switch to Spain from Liverpool. Tuchel went with Chelsea captain Reece James and Newcastle United's Tino Livramento for the right-back role. Ultimately, it was those two who landed the right-back berths on the final 26-player roster.
Asked to explain Alexander-Arnold's omission then, the manager said he is a "big fan of Trent" but also declared the "competition is up" in reference to the World Cup-at that time nine months away.
Alexander-Arnold was injured when it came to the October international break and had only just recovered when Tuchel was naming his November selection. But when March came and Alexander-Arnold's name was not on the list, it seemed inevitable his third career World Cup wouldn't be 2026.
Discussing Alexander-Arnold among the collective of high-profile omissions, Tuchel said it was "very difficult" to do. "It's a given we have to leave some extraordinary players, personalities at home. For some of them it's just the amount of players in a certain position."
He added it was important for anyone being selected to have a "clear role."
Alexander-Arnold Pays Price for Poor Season
Even when healthy, this hasn't been a good year for Alexander-Arnold. Settling into not only a new club, having known only Liverpool his entire career, but also a new country, with different customs and a new language has clearly taken a toll. That Real Madrid's season has been nothing short of a chaotic mess has made that already sizeable challenge even harder.
Alexander-Arnold has historically been criticized for his defensive ability, which suggested swapping the Premier League for a competition like La Liga, less physical and more technical, should have suited him perfectly. But where the 27-year-old was a prolific assister in Liverpool colors-usually reaching double figures and climbing to 19 assists during the 2021–22 campaign, he's managed only five with one match left to play this season.
When Tuchel has made a point of selecting players in form and those who best fit his intended system, Alexander-Arnold losing his biggest strength was never going to fly.
England Problems Nothing New for Alexander-Arnold
The far bigger surprise than not being selected for the 2026 World Cup is why one of the world's best fullbacks has never thrived at international level.
Since Alexander-Arnold made his debut in a warmup friendly prior to the 2018 World Cup, he's played only 34 times. Declan Rice was called into the squad a year later and has 72 caps-there is every chance the Arsenal midfielder will now be the next player to reach 100 England appearances and eventually ascend to the rank of team captain.
Historically, there has always been intense competition from Kyle Walker and Kieran Tripper. But while Alexander-Arnold has anyone beat on the ball, both were better all-round fullbacks.
Just as big an issue is England never truly figuring out how to unlock him, with the same setup in which Walker and Trippier excelled serving to highlight Alexander-Arnold's flaws instead.
Gareth Southgate infamously experimented with Alexander-Arnold in central midfield in the early matches of Euro 2024, but it was a poor fit for him, with the team improving after he was dropped.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM.