Thomas Tuchel’s squad reshuffle opens door for Manchester City’s Rico Lewis

England rode a seven‑goal thrashing of Croatia into a strong qualifying position, yet the loss of several first‑choice players has forced manager Thomas Tuchel to look deeper. At the same time, Manchester City’s 21‑year‑old full‑back Rico Lewis has been promoted from the under‑21s after a two‑year senior hiatus. The contrast highlights a national side desperate for depth and a young club talent finally given his chance.

Lewis’s call‑up comes for the Nations League clash with the Czech Republic on Tuesday, a match that could cement England’s route to the later stages. The Czech fixture follows a dominant performance in Croatia that left England in a favourable spot, but a win in Prague would be a “huge step”, according to the team’s recent statements.

England’s squad rotation dilemma

Injuries have already reshaped the roster. City teammate Nico O’Reilly returned home injured from the Croatia game, while five senior players – Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento – withdrew from the three‑week international break. O’Reilly had featured in England’s 3‑2 defeat by Spain but missed the 2‑0 victory over the Czech Republic in Prague.

Tuchel admitted that keeping the same eleven for every match would be “madness”. “Why would I do this and start giving the players the impression that it’s OK to take a step back or share a half or to rest one match?” he said. “I would never. It’s madness. I would love not to rotate but I am not sure if it’s possible. An ideal scenario would be to go again and go again and go again, with six or seven players minimum that start again – to put the responsibility on them and for them to feel the trust.”

Comments Sport chief football writer John Cross and senior sports reporter Felix Keith noted the development at 16:48 on 4 October 2026, adding that England originally decided not to call up a replacement before changing course after the Croatia thrashing. View 2 Images of the updated squad were released later.

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Rico Lewis earns senior call‑up

Manchester City full‑back Lewis, 21, has been promoted from Lee Carsley’s under‑21 squad, the side that secured qualification for next year’s Euros with a 0‑0 draw against Slovakia in Stoke on Friday night. His performances at under‑21 level included two goals in twelve appearances, and he helped the team clinch the European Championship berth.

Lewis already holds five senior caps, the most recent earned in November 2024, making this his first significant opportunity under the current boss Thomas Tuchel. Versatile enough to operate on either flank or in midfield, he adds valuable flexibility to England’s options.

At club level, Lewis has featured three times for Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City this season but has been an unused substitute in each of the side’s last four Premier League matches, with Josko Gvardiol preferred at left‑back and Matheus Nunes at right‑back.

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His inclusion expands the pool of players available for the Tuesday Nations League encounter with the Czech Republic, offering Tuchel additional cover as England navigates the demanding international calendar.