Thomas Tuchel says Man City stars still England‑eligible if relegated

England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Manchester City stars remain eligible for the Three Lions even if the club is relegated from the Premier League, a point he raised ahead of Saturday’s Nations League clash with Croatia in Rijeka.

City found guilty of financial breaches

The club were found guilty by an independent commission of all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009‑10 and 2017‑18 seasons, a verdict announced on Tuesday just hours before England beat the Czech Republic 2‑0.

Manchester City have lodged an appeal, arguing the ruling contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact, while potential punishments range from fines and points deductions to stripping trophies or even expulsion from the Premier League.

Rare England selections from lower divisions

It is exceptionally rare for an English Football League player to earn a Three Lions cap. The last such case was West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in 2021, and earlier century‑long examples include David James (West Ham, 2003), David Nugent (Preston, 2007), Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff, 2010), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace, 2012) and Jack Butland (Stoke, 2018).

Kane leads England to victory in the Nations League

England squad and upcoming Nations League clash

Speaking at a pre‑match press conference, Tuchel said: “There’s always a possibility. I will always try to pick the best team for the camp, for the occasion, for the tournament and I will never rule out that they don’t play in the top flight in their country.”

The current England squad includes City’s Marc Guehi and Elliot Anderson, while fellow Citizens Phil Foden and Rico Lewis are also in the pool; Jack Grealish is on loan at Everton and Nico O’Reilly withdrew through injury.

The Three Lions prepare to face Croatia in the Nations League on Saturday in Rijeka, a match that has been eclipsed by the financial‑rule saga surrounding Manchester City.

Kane reaches record tally for England in the Nations League

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