Four England Players Failed to Impress Against Uruguay, Tuchel Should Leave Them Home

England's friendly against Uruguay at Wembley on Friday night ended in a 1-1 draw, but the result masked a deeper question about who belongs in Thomas Tuchel's squad for the World Cup this summer. The German manager had fielded a deliberately experimental lineup, using the match to audition fringe players ahead of the tournament. Some rose to the occasion. Others did not. Four players in particular left enough doubt in their performances that they should probably stay home when Tuchel names his final 26.

Phil Foden had one of those nights that every player dreads—the kind where nothing quite connects, where the usual instincts fail to fire. The Manchester City winger managed 57 minutes before being withdrawn, and in that time he rarely imposed himself on the match. Tuchel's assessment afterward was pointed but fair: the manager felt Foden could have been more adventurous, more willing to take risks in the attacking midfield role he was asked to fill. The problem for Foden is structural. He is competing for one spot in that position against Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer—three players who have been sharper, more decisive, and more in form. Unless Foden finds an extraordinary run of goals and assists before May, he appears to be fourth in line, which in a World Cup squad means left behind.

Fikayo Tomori returned to the England shirt for the first time since 2023, and on the surface his performance was respectable enough. The AC Milan defender, who has been excellent in Serie A this season, started alongside Harry Maguire in the centre of defence and was rarely troubled by Uruguay's attack. But respectability is not enough when the player next to you has an outstanding night. Maguire was one of England's best performers on the evening, and that performance matters more than Tomori's solid one. Behind them in the queue are Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, and John Stones—all of them regulars in Tuchel's plans, all of them with stronger claims. Tomori's chances of making the squad have narrowed considerably.

Jordan Henderson, now 35 years old, played the first half before giving way to Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace. The Brentford midfielder has been a loyal servant to England and carries the kind of experience that can matter in tournament football. But experience alone does not win you a seat on the plane. Tuchel has younger options who are sharper: Elliot Anderson, Wharton himself, and Kobbie Mainoo all represent the future better than Henderson does at this stage of his career. Even James Garner, making his debut on the same evening, made a stronger case. The Everton midfielder was named Player of the Match and drew praise from Tuchel for his display. For Henderson, that is a difficult message to receive.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on in the second half as a replacement for Dominic Solanke and immediately faced a test: a glorious cross from Cole Palmer, a header that should have found the net. He sent it wide instead. It was the kind of moment that defines a player's night, and Calvert-Lewin's night was defined by that miss. The Leeds United striker has had a decent season in the Championship, but his form has cooled since a hot spell in late 2025 when he scored seven goals in six matches. Against Uruguay, he looked rusty and out of sync. Solanke, by contrast, showed neat touches and linked play well during his time on the pitch. If Tuchel takes a backup striker to the World Cup—and he may not take two—Solanke has made the stronger case. Calvert-Lewin's window may have closed.

The friendly served its purpose, then, not by providing answers but by clarifying the questions. Tuchel will have plenty of decisions to make when he submits his squad in May, and Friday night in north London provided useful information about who does and does not belong in that group. For these four players, the message was clear: there is work to do, and time is running short.