Is Palmer's England career over under Tuchel?

Tuchel excluded Palmer from England's latest squad, saying he "misses too many opportunities to impress"; Palmer has featured in only 3 of Tuchel's 26 games.

Cole Palmer faces an uphill battle to revive his England career after Thomas Tuchel left him out of the latest squad for Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain. Tuchel's explanation was unsparing: "He misses too many opportunities to impress." This came despite Palmer being declared fully fit and available after withdrawing from the previous camp with a minor injury.

Palmer's international standing has deteriorated sharply under Tuchel. Though he impressed at Euro 2024 and scored in the final against Spain, he has appeared in only 3 of Tuchel's 26 matches as England manager. He has 14 caps overall, with 2 goals and 1 assist, his last outing a disappointing substitute appearance in the 1-0 defeat to Japan in March.

Tuchel indicated there is no room for sentiment in his selection process, pointing to competition for the number 10 role and praising the cohesion built in the previous camp. He called up Fulham's Josh King and 21-year-old Jobe Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund instead. Palmer's camp expressed surprise at the omission, but Tuchel has shown throughout his tenure that form and consistency are non-negotiable.