Thomas Tuchel explains Cole Palmer omission: 'He misses too many opportunities'

Tuchel omitted Palmer from the England squad for Nations League matches, citing missed opportunities in camp and previous withdrawals; he has named six attacking midfielders including first-time call-ups.

Thomas Tuchel has left Cole Palmer out of his 25-man England squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain. The Chelsea forward was available for selection but has been dropped following his withdrawal from September's camp.

Tuchel explained his decision at a Wembley press conference, saying Palmer "misses too many opportunities to impress" and that the players who attended the previous camp "built something extraordinary" over two-and-a-half weeks. The manager emphasised that selection is based on performance in camp and that Palmer's absence was not personal but a consequence of the competition for places.

Tuchel has instead opted for Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze, and Jude Bellingham as his attacking midfielders, alongside first-time call-ups Josh King and Jobe Bellingham, who offer positional versatility. Palmer has not featured for England since March and missed the World Cup due to injury last season, though he has played in all nine of Chelsea's Premier League matches this term.