Walker added that his primary worry for England this summer lies within the team’s defence.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Burnley defender Kyle Walker has expressed concerns over the decision of England manager Thomas Tuchel to omit Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White from his 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
He made his feelings known during his latest interview with The Sun, where he noted that the trio had enjoyed an “impressive season”.
Tuchel recently named his squad for this year’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but the names of Maguire, Shaw and Gibbs-White were conspicuously missing.
The German tactician also left out the likes of Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Man City’s Phil Foden, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
Reacting to the decision, Walker insisted that Maguire, Shaw and Gibbs-White ought to have been included in the England World Cup squad.
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The former City defender further remarked that Tuchel’s selection process appears somewhat perplexing, as it omits several top performers.
He specifically highlighted the Red Devils’ duo, stating: “Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have likely had the most impressive seasons for Manchester United in quite some time, yet they are not participating in the tournament. I firmly believe that Luke Shaw should have been on the plane, and I also think Harry Maguire should have been included.”
Walker went on to say his primary worry for England this summer lies within the defence, wondering whether those selected for the position will be fully fit during the tournament.
He added: “The defence… I believe there are several players who may not have performed exceptionally well or are dealing with injuries, raising doubts about whether they can be fully relied upon throughout the tournament. This is where I have reservations about some of them, but ultimately, I am not the manager.”
He also mentioned Gibbs-White as another unexpected omission from the squad, adding: “I likely would have included Morgan Gibbs-White. He has been outstanding for Forest.”
