Trent Alexander-Arnold starts Tuesday, Tuchel doubts his League future

Trent Alexander-Arnold could make his first England appearance since June 2025 on Tuesday evening in the Nations League, with the Real Madrid defender tipped to start against the Czech Republic. Fitness concerns hover over defender Ezri Konsa and midfielder Nico O'Reilly, the latter already ruled out.

Long absence under Thomas Tuchel

He has not featured for England in over a year, having only played once since Thomas Tuchel took charge. If selected, it would be just his second cap under the German manager, highlighting a stark contrast to his regular club role.

Alexander‑Arnold debuted for England in 2018 against Costa Rica and has amassed 34 caps and four goals. The 27‑year‑old has not set foot on the pitch for his country since that June 2025 fixture, despite his high profile at Liverpool.

World Cup snub and recent involvement

He missed the World Cup squad and has not been called into any England camp under Tuchel in the past 15 months. Tuchel has repeatedly preferred Reece James, Djed Spence, Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah, leaving Alexander‑Arnold on the periphery.

At the 2026 World Cup, Quansah earned a place over him and Chalobah was selected after Livramento withdrew with injury. Alexander‑Arnold was also omitted from the tournament squad and did not feature in the post‑World Cup match against Spain, remaining an unused substitute in the five‑goal Wembley thriller that saw La Roja win 3‑2. Getty

Tuchel explained his selections, saying, “They never did something wrong, we just chose different players. It is a new competition, some players have more injuries, some have less.” He added that the call‑up offers Alexander‑Arnold “a chance to prove why he should be a regular starter”. The manager also mentioned Cole Palmer in the same context.

analyst Adrian Durham was sceptical, stating, “The debate about Trent is really interesting. What if he plays tonight and impresses? Does that make him the regular right‑back? I don’t think so.” He warned, “There are so many others ahead of him. It feels like Thomas Tuchel has called him because he has to.” Durham concluded, “Will Trent ever be England’s right‑back?”

Should he take the field, Alexander‑Arnold will have the chance to answer that question in Prague, where England may also meet Croatia later in the tournament. Live commentary will be available, with the match set for Tuesday evening.