Why Phil Foden is missing the 2026 World Cup for England

England lands in North America with a singular, burning obsession: taking home the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1966. Yet, as the Three Lions launch their bid for global supremacy, they will have to navigate the tournament without Phil Foden, as he has been completely left off the plane.

Foden‘s omission from the final 26-man roster is not due to a late injury or a fitness crisis. Instead, it is a tactical decision by head coach Thomas Tuchel, following a highly inconsistent club season at Manchester City that failed to convince the German tactician.

When finalized rosters were submitted, Tuchel caused shockwaves across the soccer world by leaving out both Foden and Chelsea standout Cole Palmer. The manager defended his approach by emphasizing structural synergy over individual stardom.

“For some of them, it’s just a positional thing to have a balanced squad so we don’t bring five number tens,” Tuchel explained during a press conference. “Even if it was painful, I think it was the right call for England”.

While Foden was given an audition during England‘s pre-tournament friendlies, his performances failed to move the needle for the new boss. To pull the strings in the attacking midfield roles, Tuchel opted for Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, and Morgan Rogers, all of whom enjoyed vastly superior individual campaigns.

Inside Foden’s slumping club campaign

The Manchester City playmaker endured a bafflingly quiet season. While he remained completely healthy and free of any injury setbacks that would keep him off the pitch, his performance levels plummeted compared to his world-class standards of previous years.

Foden logged 50 appearances across all competitions for City, but his output dried up significantly, finishing the campaign with just 10 goals and 7 assists.

His slumping form ultimately forced Pep Guardiola to make some ruthless decisions, demoting Foden to the bench for City’s biggest high-stakes fixtures—including the Champions League Round of 16 blockbuster against Real Madrid and the FA Cup Final against Chelsea.