Tuchel excludes Cole Palmer from England squad, cites camp attendance

England manager Thomas Tuchel announced that Chelsea forward Cole Palmer will not be part of the squad for the November Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain. Tuchel said the decision reflects his policy of rewarding players who attend training camps and contribute during the preparation period.

"It's always the ones who are in camp, the ones who don't withdraw. The ones who walk the talk, and come to camp and show it matters and put the quality in. That's what we will always reward," Tuchel told reporters.

Tuchel noted that Palmer has missed several previous camps due to injury and withdrawal, and that the current selection favours players who were available for the last camp, including Jude Bellingham, Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers and newcomer Josh King.

"The impact of all the players was immense throughout the whole camp, that's why we stick mainly with the group and all the offensive players," Tuchel added.

While acknowledging Palmer’s form for Chelsea, Tuchel emphasized that selection decisions are based on overall squad dynamics rather than individual ability.

"I said last time, he misses too many opportunities to impress. The players who were in camp built something extraordinary throughout these two-and-a-half weeks and that's why the credit goes to them, the trust is for them. It's not personal," he said.

Tuchel also mentioned that the door remains open for Palmer in future selections, but the current squad reflects the players who were present and performed during the recent training period.

The squad named for the upcoming fixtures includes goalkeepers Jordan Pickford, Jason Steele and James Trafford; defenders such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben White; midfielders including Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice; and attackers like Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze. England will need at least a point against Croatia to secure a quarter-final place in the competition.