England player not named in World Cup squad set for debut

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Thomas Tuchel is preparing to hand Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott his international debut during England's final World Cup preparations. Despite not being named in the final 26-man tournament squad, the 22-year-old has been thrust into the spotlight for the upcoming friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica.

Tuchel turns to shadow squad for Florida fixtures

According to the Sun, Scott is set to earn his first senior cap for England this month as the Three Lions finalise their preparations for the World Cup. The Bournemouth star was a notable omission from the final squad list, but he has travelled to the training camp in Florida as one of five supplementary players intended to bolster training sessions.

With several key figures missing from the initial stages of the camp, Scott and his fellow standby teammates will be drafted into action for the warm-up matches. The former Bristol City youngster, who was instrumental in helping the Cherries qualify for the Europa League last season, is expected to feature prominently in the two fixtures scheduled just days before the tournament opener against Croatia on June 17.

England v Serbia - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Champions League absences open the door

The opportunity for Scott has arisen due to a cluster of late arrivals at the team’s Palm Beach Gardens base. Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke have been granted extra time off following their Champions League final defeat to PSG, while Conference League winner Dean Henderson is also yet to join the group.

The Gunners quartet is not expected to arrive until the weekend, leaving a void in the midfield and wide areas that Tuchel plans to fill with his "shadow" group. Alongside Scott, the travelling supplementary party includes Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Fulham’s Josh King, Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele, and Arsenal prodigy Ethan Nwaneri, all of whom will remain with the squad for the duration of the Florida camp.

Tuchel praises Scott's elite mentality

Tuchel admitted that leaving Scott out of the definitive 26-man list was a difficult decision, but he has been blown away by the player's professionalism. Scott was originally named in the provisional 55-man longlist before being informed he had not made the final cut for the trip to North America.

Addressing the situation, Tuchel said: “I’m really happy these guys are with us, especially Alex, who was with us in the list of 55 and had a kind of disappointing phone call as well, that he didn’t make the first cut. But the reaction of him was outstanding, the commitment, the wish to be in pre-camp and to just be a step closer to the team was not even a question for him. He showed me his character and his spirit so I’m delighted that he’s with us because it was a close call.”

Alex-Scott

Premier League interest intensifies for Cherries star

Scott’s inclusion in the camp follows a standout individual campaign at Bournemouth where he made 37 Premier League appearances and scored three goals. His technical ability and engine in the middle of the park have made him one of the most sought-after young English talents, with Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool all credited with an interest in the midfielder. While the Cherries are desperate to keep hold of Scott, the player's refusal to sign a new deal has put several clubs on high alert.