S Poddar
Kyle Walker is in line to bring himself within reach of his 100th England cap, with the veteran defender likely to begin in Thomas Tuchel’s first game as boss against Albania on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford has reportedly made a strong impression on Tuchel during training, positioning himself for a return to international duty after a year-long absence. The forward, currently on loan at Aston Villa, last represented England against Brazil on March 23, 2024, and is eager to make his mark again.
Tuchel has chosen to leave his team in the dark about the lineup for his first match in charge. But insiders indicate that Walker will occupy the right-back position, his 94th appearance for the country. The 34-year-old has endured a challenging season after moving from Manchester City to AC Milan, but Tuchel clearly appreciates his leadership skills.
In a dramatic twist, Marc Guehi and Levi Colwill could be left out, opening the door for Dan Burn to earn his England debut along with Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa. Burn’s call-up was unexpected to many, but the 32-year-old has been putting in consistently solid performances for Newcastle United, deserving a spot in the national team.
Tuchel will be using a back-four system rather than a three-man defense. Harry Kane will lead the attack, and vice-captain is yet to be determined. Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, both important players in midfield, are tipped for the role. Tuchel has, however, played down the need to appoint a deputy, and explained his rationale:
“No. I have heard about the subject.”. I was thinking, ‘Oh, they ask me and I have not considered this,’ but then I thought it’s not that significant right now. We have a captain, and line-ups will shift at the moment from camp to camp. This is more of a topic when we know each other better, and I will perhaps give a group of players that is the leadership group, and from there the vice-captain comes.
Because of squad rules, Tuchel is only allowed to select a 23-man match-day squad for the World Cup qualifier, so some players will be left out. Aaron Ramsdale, Jarell Quansah, and Morgan Gibbs-White—who was added to the squad late—have been omitted from the final squad.
As England embarks on a new era with Tuchel, everyone will be watching to see how the squad responds to his tactics and direction. With battle-hardened players such as Walker marshaling the defense and youngsters keen to stake their claims, the game against Albania is where the interesting times begin for the Three Lions.
