Tuchel criticises England's omission of Chelsea forward Cole Palmer

At the press conference in London, Thomas Tuchel, 53, looked serious as he discussed the absence of Chelsea‑forward Cole Palmer from the English squad. The national team coach immediately indicated that he understands the media criticism and that it is ‘hard to go against that’.

Reasons for Palmer’s withdrawal

According to Tuchel, Palmer is playing with discomfort and pain, which prevents him from performing at the highest level. He has informed the team of his withdrawal and Chelsea has passed on the same information.

The 22‑year‑old forward has not missed a single match this season, but the English media had already suggested that he would put his club above his country. Tuchel emphasized that Palmer misses many training camps because of injuries.

“It is a missed opportunity. He misses too many chances,” Tuchel said. “I don’t hold it against him, it is simply a fact. The players who are present have my full attention.”

The national team coach stressed that his assessment is solely based on what he sees within the team. Presence at training camps remains, according to him, crucial for selection decisions.