Four England Outcasts Who Could Rejuvenate Their Three Lions Careers Under Thomas Tuchel
Bruce Dias 
Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager spells a new era for the Three Lions. Having been defeated in the final of Euro 2024 against Spain, Gareth Southgate’s tenure came to an end. Southgate instilled a winning culture and a sense of togetherness within the national team but was never able to get his side over the line despite often being favourites with sports betting odds. Tuchel changes that.
Indeed, England have appointed a manager that has been perennially successful at club level. A Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2021, the German is familiar with the Premier League and has worked with a number of players in the current setup, having also signed England captain Harry Kane in his most recent role at Bayern Munich.
While Southgate’s downfall was perhaps his loyalty to a select group of players – omitting some notable stars from his squad selection despite their good form domestically – the Tuchel era signals a fresh start for the Three Lions – a chance to turn things around and win some international caps under a new manager, as they look to earn a spot in the squad for the 2026 World Cup.
In this article, we take a look at four players who had previously been outcasts in the England fold, who, under Tuchel, could earn a regular spot in the Three Lions side.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
While Trent Alexander-Arnold was given starts in England’s first two games of this summer’s Euros, he was ultimately played out of position in midfield and lost his place when results weren’t going Southgate’s way.
The right-back is having another impressive campaign – one that could see him playing for Real Madrid this time next year – and with Kyle Walker in the twilight of his international career, Tuchel could make the decision to phase the Manchester City captain out in favour of Alexander-Arnold in his preferred position.
Fikayo Tomori
Many believed Fikayo Tomori’s best chance for a place in Southgate’s England was when he won Serie A with AC Milan before the 2022 World Cup. However, the centre-back has only picked up five caps for the Three Lions.
Tomori traded Chelsea for Milan just days after Tuchel’s appointment at Stamford Bridge in 2021, so while the pair may not be best acquainted, now could be the best time for him to make some appearances for England, as the Rossoneri look to turn their campaign around under Paulo Fonseca.
James Maddison
Another player who missed out on a space at Euro 2024, James Maddison’s consistency has come into question, but the attacking midfielder is enjoying a great personal season for Tottenham Hotspur.
His whipped free-kick against Aston Villa will surely have caught Tuchel’s attention, and if he can avoid injuries, it’s likely we’ll see Maddison given a chance for his country once more.
Jack Grealish
A crucial part of Lee Carsley’s time as interim manager, Jack Grealish proved plenty of doubters wrong with goals in his last two England games.
The £100 million-man, Grealish’s output has always been one of his shortcomings – perhaps mis-profiled as a goal scorer when he is more of a creative winger that can operate in half spaces – ultimately resulting in Southgate selecting other players over him.
Grealish will look to rejuvenate his career having seemingly lost his starting place at Manchester City, with the likes of Aston Villa interested in the 29-year-old.
