Trent Alexander-Arnold was left out of this month’s England squad and Thomas Tuchel’s decision to call up Ben White after an injury to Jarell Quansah intensified the debate over his place
18:19, 30 Mar 2026Updated 18:20, 30 Mar 2026
Gary Lineker has weighed in with a theory(Image: Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Gary Lineker believes that there’s something ‘personal’ behind Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his England squad. Alexander-Arnold, 27, last played for Three Lions in June 2025 in what remains his only appearance since Tuchel took charge 15 months ago.
Tuchel’s latest England squad has made it clear that the Real Madrid star is behind Reece James, Tino Livaramento, Jarell Quansah and Ben White in the right-back pecking order. There’s also fierce competition in midfield, where Alexander-Arnold was deployed during Euro 2024, only to be dropped by ex-Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate after two games.
But Lineker can’t understand why the former Liverpool man continues to be left out, and reckons that Tuchel’s decision is about more than football. “You know I’m obviously a big admirer of Trent,” Lineker began on the The Rest is Football podcast.
“I think there’s something personal because football-wise there’s no argument. I can’t see how he can not be in that squad because he has to improve your chances, even if it’s from the bench.
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“So I suspect there’s something that Tuchel does not like about Trent Alexander-Arnold. I’m just guessing in terms of what it might be, whether it’s his attitude, whether it’s he’s not brilliant defensively. There has to be something in that because it makes absolutely no sense.”
The England legend went on to argue that players such as White, who was called up as Quansah’s replacement this month, ‘are not in the same league as Alexander-Arnold’. Lineker added that Tuchel is being ‘really insulting’ towards him.
“You got players playing in his position, with all due respect, that are not in the same league as him, certainly with the ball at his feet,” Lineker continued. “As you saw in these kinds of games, you need someone with a bit of magic to unlock things, and he will provide you that.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn’t represented England for nearly a year(Image: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“So it doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know whether it’s his attitude or whatever it is, I don’t know. But I find it also quite insulting bringing players in.
“We talk about the Ben White situation, for example, here. He’s not wanted to play for England. I wouldn’t judge him on that because we don’t really know what exactly happened in the camp and his reasons for not playing.
“The players do within the squad, and you know there were talks about big fall-outs and him not being treated very well, you know, and then Tuchel says he’s called him up, he’s brought him in.
Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid last summer(Image: Bruno Penas/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
“That’s fine, but I can’t see how he can still be ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold. I think that it’s really insulting to a seriously top full-back. So, that’s my view.”
At a press conference ahead of England’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay on Friday, Tuchel was asked about Alexander-Arnold’s decision to post ‘Madrid and nothing more’ on Instagram, after helping Real beat rivals Atletico prior to the international break. The phrase is from a song regularly chanted by their fans at the Bernabeu.
“As a response to not being nominated?’ Tuchel replied. “Well, fair enough, fair enough. I think it is a very hard decision that we took. No doubt about his talent, no doubt about his career, and what he can give to teams.
“We created a slightly different game model when he was not in camp in September, October, November – it was a game model that was built on intensity and positivity, built even on the profile of the right full-back on overlaps, underlaps, very intense. It was a slightly different profile of players in camp who performed so well. We just stick to these guys.”
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