Former England captain Wayne Rooney has criticised England manager Thomas Tuchel for leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the national team squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, describing the decision as “mind-boggling.”
Alexander-Arnold has missed Tuchel’s last four England squads despite returning to regular action for Real Madrid after recovering from a thigh injury earlier this year.
Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Podcast on Thursday, May 7, 2026, Rooney questioned the decision to select Ben White ahead of the former Liverpool defender.
“No disrespect to Ben White. I think he’s a fantastic player, but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Trent is mind-boggling,” Rooney said.
England named Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa among their defensive options for the final home friendlies before the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Rooney said he would still choose Reece James as England’s first-choice right-back if fully fit, although he admitted concerns remain over the defender’s consistency.
“Reece James isn’t the most defensive,” Rooney said. “In terms of the lads who are there, you wouldn’t say they’re the best defensively anyway.”
Former England defender Phil Jagielka also backed Alexander-Arnold to secure a place in England’s World Cup squad.
“I think he probably still makes it,” Jagielka said. “You need your best players.
“If he proves he can play half as well as he played for most of his time at Liverpool, he’s definitely worth taking on the plane.”
The discussion also touched on England’s left-back options, with Nico O’Reilly and Lewis Hall competing for a starting role.
Jagielka praised O’Reilly’s attacking ability but warned that the youngster still has defensive shortcomings.
“I really, really enjoy watching O’Reilly, but he gets caught out of defence,” Jagielka said. “I’d go O’Reilly at this moment in time, but there’s literally nothing between him and Lewis.”
Rooney, however, said experience could prove decisive in major tournaments, backing Luke Shaw to play a key role for England.
“We don’t need our full-backs to be the most attacking. We need them to defend,” Rooney said. “Keep the balance and let the attacking players win you the games.”
