Not good enough?! England told they are carrying 11 players

England World Cup 2026 Camp Thomas Tuchel

John Terry has delivered a scathing assessment of Thomas Tuchel's England squad, claiming that nearly half of the 26-man group is not up to the standard required to win the World Cup. The former Three Lions captain believes the German manager has made critical errors by leaving several experienced stars at home ahead of the tournament in North America.

Terry questions squad depth

Former England captain Terry has torn into Tuchel's squad selection for the World Cup after the Three Lions boss opted to leave a number of big names at home. The whole group is now together in the States after the four Arsenal players - Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke - were afforded extra time off after the Champions League final, with the 26-man squad locked in and ready to go.

However, speaking on Sports Uncensored, Terry suggested at least 11 of the 26-man squad should not be featuring if England want to be successful this summer.

"I just think you need to have your best players there," Terry said. "There's only 13, 14 or 15 players that can play if we're going to win this World Cup. When I look at the rest of the squad I'm not sure they're going to push the players who are going to be playing."

Thomas Tuchel - England

Big names left behind

There was significant debate when Tuchel named his squad, particularly around the high-profile omissions of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer. Terry pointed to the potential lack of experience in the current camp, which includes tournament newcomers like Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly, and questioned whether this top-heavy reliance on a small core of players could cost the side dearly.

"First of all, I really like him (Tuchel)," Terry said. "Obviously, seeing his work around Chelsea, when he was there… he brought success for us in the Champions League as well. And what I like about him, he's not afraid to make these big decisions, and I think we've seen that in his squad. Now, that's something I disagree with actually, in terms of the players that he's not picked for this World Cup."

The Maguire and Shaw debate

Terry was particularly vocal about the absence of defensive stalwarts Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. He believes that O'Reilly, while a bright prospect, requires the mentorship of a veteran like Shaw to navigate the pressures of a major international tournament.

"Maguire being one, the first one. Shaw at left back. We're looking at O'Reilly coming at left back," Terry explained. "I think someone like him needs someone like Shaw around the place to help him, settle him, give him a little bit of advice because he is the future of us in our next World Cups coming up. Cole Palmer is the next big decision as well. So I think he's got it wrong in three or four big decisions on the pitch, actually. I think you need your best players, the further you get in these World Cups."

england hymne startelf

Group L challenges await

Tuchel's men conclude their tournament preparations against Costa Rica on Wednesday before flying out to face a difficult opening Group L fixture against Croatia. The Three Lions then face Ghana and Panama as they aim to reach the last 32.