Tuchel on 'very impressive' first call-up

England head coach Thomas Tuchel reacted to today’s squad announcement, naming his side for the Three Lions’ final 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

Bournemouth’s Alex Scott receives his first senior call-up under Tuchel with the midfielder, who was part of Lee Carsley’s U21 UEFA EURO-winning team in the summer, having caught the England boss’ eye.

“He had an excellent EUROs,” explained Tuchel “He won the title and Lee was full of praise. He did an excellent job in midfield together with Elliot Anderson who is now a regular starter for us.

“It was very impressive but then he took another step and becomes a very regular starter now for Bournemouth and they are in the top third of the league. They are overperforming constantly.

“He puts intensity in and he gets his minutes, so we thought this is maybe the perfect time to reward him and to get to know him and to see what he can bring to our team.”

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden return to Tuchel’s squad – two players the Three Lions boss is pleased to have back at his disposal.

“Big names, big personalities and big, big talent,” highlighted Tuchel. “It’s excellent to see that both of them are in rhythm, both of them are in form, in shape. Both of them are contributing goals for important wins for their teams.

“It was a no-brainer to pick both of them. We will have central roles for both of them to bring out the very best.

“Happy to have them back, happy to see them smile and happy to have them fit – this is the foundation to be selected.”

November camp also marks a recall for Nick Pope. The goalkeeper joins up with his international teammates for the first time since October 2024.

“Nick plays a fantastic season for Newcastle,” noted Tuchel “He’s in shape and he’s contributing, he plays Champions League football on a regular basis.

“This was the camp now for us to reward him for that, to acknowledge him and show him our respect and appreciation for what he does for Newcastle and have the chance to get to know him.

“We see him live, we see him on TV but we want to meet the person and see and feel what he can bring to the team.”

And Adam Wharton reclaims his place in Tuchel’s team, having been forced to withdraw from the squad upon his last call-up in September through injury.

“This is now the third time that we call him and hopefully he will not pick up any injury or illness,” said Tuchel. “They still have two matches, so hopefully he stays fit.

“The talent is obvious and he will be alongside Elliot Anderson and Jordan Henderson in defensive midfield and hopefully try to impress us.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, it’s the right call-up to reward him. Hopefully three times is the lucky number for him.

England qualified for next year’s World Cup with two games to spare following an impressive 5-0 showing against Latvia last month and Tuchel is eager to keep the momentum going.

“We’re very happy that we’ve qualified very quickly and in style and with a good performance and with excellent results but we picked a strong team again,” said Tuchel.

“The players are keen to be with us. Harry said straight away after the last match, ‘we will keep this thing going in November’ and that’s what we’re out for. We have two more matches – two more qualifying matches in the group – and we want to get two wins.”

The Three Lions will close out the calendar year with a home game at Wembley Stadium against Serbia before travelling to Albania, with the home fixture giving Tuchel and his players the opportunity to celebrate their achievement of qualification with the fans.

“It was a special moment,” continued Tuchel. “You can only qualify every four years, so it’s a very rare moment. It was my first moment to qualify for a World Cup.

“When it happened, it felt very special. I like how we qualified and how we played and our campaign so far.

“I think it will give us a boost; it will encourage us to do more of the same and I hope we can prove that.”