Remembering France-Senegal 2022 World Cup match
Fans at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey remember when Senegal upset the defending champs France in the 2002 World Cup.
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England begins its 2026 World Cup campaign with a star-studded roster featuring some of the biggest names in world soccer, but manager Thomas Tuchel had some notable omissions from his 26-man squad, including Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Palmer, who burst onto the scene for Chelsea in the 2023-24 season and scored a goal in the Euro 2024 final, has been unable to recapture the same form and didn’t make the team, a surprise for fans and pundits who thought that the Chelsea man might have been an automatic selection.
The same goes for the 26-year-old Foden, who was Premier League player of the year and started that Euro final two years ago but has seen his playing time diminish at Manchester City as he struggled to find consistency and the contender brought in multiple players to compete.
While neither playmaker has been at the levels they were at two years ago, many thought their individual talent would earn Palmer and/or Foden a spot on the plane to North America.
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“From day one we were clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select and collect the 26 most talented players,” Tuchel said after announcing his roster. “Teams win championships. It’s as simple as that.
“Everything I know and hear about international football is that it is about the team and the chemistry.”
Maguire, 33, has been a leader on England’s back line since before the 2018 World Cup and the Manchester United center back posted on social media that he was “shocked and gutted” to miss out on the World Cup roster.
“I can see the reason behind the disappointment,” Tuchel said about Maguire. “I was a bit surprised (about his comments) because we had a private conversation and he had the chance to express his feelings, which he did.”
Alexander-Arnold moved to Real Madrid this season after winning two Premier League titles and a Champions League with childhood club Liverpool. His passing range is among the best in world football, but defensive liabilities were something that didn’t fit Tuchel’s conservative approach.
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
