Man United Star 'Shocked and Gutted' After England World Cup Snub as Thomas Tuchel Weighs His Options

Harry Maguire has reportedly been left out of England's World Cup squad, a decision that has left the Manchester United defender "shocked," while manager Thomas Tuchel is said to be strongly considering a surprise inclusion for a player who has only recently returned from a long-term injury.

Tuchel is set to announce his final 26-man squad for the tournament at a Wembley Stadium event on Friday morning.

The manager had previously submitted a provisional list that included some unexpected names like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Danny Welbeck, Alex Scott, and Chelsea's Levi Colwill.

Colwill, 23, has emerged as a serious contender for a spot on the plane despite making just three appearances for Chelsea this season.

The young defender was sidelined for nearly 10 months with an anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered in August 2025, but has impressed since his return to action this month.

According to a report from talkSPORT, Tuchel is giving serious thought to selecting Colwill after the player proved his fitness in recent high-stakes matches.

The versatile defender made his comeback as a substitute against Nottingham Forest on May 4, featured in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool, and played the full 90 minutes in the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

With Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi considered certainties for the squad, barring injury, Colwill's potential inclusion has cast doubt on the places of other defenders like Maguire and Dan Burn.

News broke on Thursday that Maguire, a standout performer for Manchester United since Michael Carrick took charge in January, has been excluded from the final squad. The centre-back expressed his dismay at the decision.

"I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I've had," Maguire said in a statement to talkSPORT. "I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best."

Tuchel faces several other selection headaches ahead of Friday's announcement. Manchester City's John Stones, a veteran of 87 caps, has struggled for game time this season, making only eight league appearances as Pep Guardiola has favoured other options.

Despite being part of Tuchel's leadership group alongside Harry Kane and Declan Rice, questions remain over the 31-year-old's international future.

Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold's chances of making the squad have been boosted by injuries to other right-backs.

The Real Madrid star, who has often been overlooked by Tuchel, was named in the provisional squad. His inclusion seems more likely following a significant knee injury to Ben White and Tino Livramento's ongoing fitness struggles.

In attack, the inconsistent club form of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer contrasts sharply with the impressive performances of Morgan Gibbs-White, who has netted 11 league goals for Nottingham Forest since the turn of the year, creating another difficult choice for the England manager.