Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford has earned a place in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad as England’s head coach.
Rashford’s last appearance for the national team came in a friendly match against Brazil in March 2024. Since moving to Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United in January, he has delivered impressive performances, which have now earned him a recall.
Newcastle defender Dan Burn and Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly have received their first call-ups to the senior squad and are in contention to make their debuts.
England will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with two home fixtures at Wembley Stadium. They face Albania on Friday, March 21, followed by a match against Latvia on Monday, March 24, with both games kicking off at 19:45 GMT.
Although Rashford has yet to find the net for Aston Villa, he has contributed four assists as he works to regain his best form.
The 27-year-old has amassed 60 international caps, scoring eight goals for England. However, a dip in form at Manchester United led to him falling out of favour with former manager Gareth Southgate.
As a result, Rashford was left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad, where the team ultimately lost to Spain in the final. He was also overlooked for the 2024-25 Nations League campaign.
Tuchel, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, has long recognized Rashford’s talent. In 2020, he described the forward as a “big threat” and jokingly admitted that he found him “a bit annoying” ahead of a Champions League match against Manchester United.
Dan Burn has yet to represent England at any level but has been a key player for Newcastle, consistently delivering solid performances.
At 32 years old, Burn brings valuable versatility to the squad, as he is capable of playing both as a centre-back and as a left-back.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, who is just 18, made his senior competitive debut for Arsenal in September. Despite his limited experience, he has quickly established himself as an important figure in the team.
Although primarily used as a left-back, Lewis-Skelly is also capable of operating in midfield. So far, he has made 25 appearances for Arsenal this season.
Additionally, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah have also been included in the squad, with both hoping to earn their first senior international caps.
The England squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
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