Midfield depth and a potent front four emerge for England under Tuchel
England beat the Czech Republic 3-0 at Wembley on Tuesday in a Nations League match, with Harry Kane scoring twice to mark his 125th England appearance.
England's Nations League window followed the World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina and an extended international break, giving head coach Thomas Tuchel the chance to reset after criticism of his defensive approach in Atlanta; his squad for the four Nations League games mixed recalled players, newcomers and established figures such as captain Harry Kane.
Kane was the obvious focal point in the win, equalling Peter Shilton's England cap record on his 125th appearance and taking his goals total to 91, 38 clear of Wayne Rooney's 53 in 120 games; the 33-year-old scored twice in the match and the England setup now features an attacking quartet Tuchel can deploy. Anthony Gordon had been on target in the three Nations League games against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia before being rested at Wembley and has moved from Newcastle to Barcelona; Bukayo Saka scored twice in Croatia and Jude Bellingham, England's player of the year, is 23. Morgan Gibbs-White cut short a family holiday to join the squad after initial exclusion, and the front four is supplemented by Morgan Rogers and Liverpool's 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
Bournemouth's Alex Scott impressed on his England debut in the 7-0 win in Croatia, with powerful running and a wide passing range, but suffered a thigh injury that ruled him out of the Czech Republic match; Bournemouth fear he will be sidelined for two months. Tuchel underlined the competition for places in central midfield, saying: "Is Declan still for me a fixed point in my team? Yes, but some other players are coming and impressing and it's an ongoing competition." Declan Rice remains a fixture but has been managed after injury.
Other midfield options have pushed for involvement. Elliot Anderson, described in the squad report as Manchester City's £116m summer purchase from Nottingham Forest, continues to build on a good World Cup, while Tuchel has given Arsenal's 20-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly opportunities in central midfield. Everton's James Garner has also featured and Tuchel has referred to him as England's "mini Valverde." Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo withdrew injured and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton has been unable to force his way into Tuchel's plans.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's relationship with Tuchel has been a recurring subplot: he was left out of the World Cup squad and omitted from qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia in August 2025, after which Tuchel warned: "If he wants to have this impact in the English national team then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously. Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football, and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100% awake, can be decisive. It can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home." Tuchel recalled Alexander-Arnold for the four Nations League matches and the 27-year-old responded by making his first start under Tuchel — and his first since scoring in the Nations League win in Finland in October 2024 — against the Czech Republic in Prague, delivering the cross for Gordon's opener and then producing a 30-yard free-kick that forced a fine save from keeper Lukas Hornicek at Wembley along with several dangerous crosses.
Newcastle's Lewis Hall emerged as a defensive beneficiary from the window, stepping in for three matches after Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly returned to his club with an injury and having just signed a new contract tying him to Newcastle until 2031. Hall impressed in the games against the Czech Republic and in the rout in Croatia, and his left-flank partnership with Anthony Gordon looked especially effective; while O'Reilly has not been at fault, questions about whether he is a natural left-back or a converted midfielder were noted.
Tuchel now presides over a group with notable attacking firepower and multiple midfield options; "If Tuchel can keep his fab four fit and firing, England will be a danger to any opponents."
