England Squad: Nkounoua, Calvert-Lewin, Scott Called Up by Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel, England’s head coach, has unveiled the national team’s squad for the forthcoming international break — a condensed three-week window featuring four UEFA Nations League group-stage matches.

The squad’s new faces

Ryo Nkounoua, the 18-year-old Liverpool forward, has been selected for the senior national team for the first time since making his debut as a second-half substitute in England’s 1–0 friendly win over New Zealand on 6 June. Last season, he broke into Liverpool’s first team and appeared in 35 matches, scoring two goals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 29, returns to the squad after a gap of over three years. He last played for England in a 1–1 friendly draw against Uruguay on 27 March, coming on for 34 minutes — his first appearance for the national team since 2021. Calvert-Lewin was not included in England’s final 26-man World Cup squad. Since joining Leeds United on a free transfer from Everton last summer, he has scored 19 goals in 45 appearances, including four this season.

Alex Scott, 23, a Bournemouth midfielder, receives his second call-up under Tuchel. Though part of Tuchel’s pre-World Cup training camp this summer, he was omitted from the tournament’s final 26-player roster. He has yet to make his senior international debut. Scott opened the 2026–27 season strongly, registering one goal and two assists.

England’s unprecedented four-match schedule

FIFA has revised the men’s international match calendar for 2026–2030, merging the September and October international breaks into a single extended window. As a result, England will play four matches in three weeks — all in the UEFA Nations League group stage.

Tuchel’s side opens the break with a home fixture against world champions Spain at Wembley Stadium on 26 September. They then travel to face the Czech Republic at Fortuna Arena on 29 September, followed by a match against Croatia at Stadion HNK Rijeka on 3 October. The window concludes with a second meeting against the Czech Republic, again at Wembley, on 6 October.

Context: Nations League history

Portugal are the reigning UEFA Nations League champions, having defeated Spain in the final via penalty shoot-out in June 2025. England’s best performance in the competition remains third place in the inaugural 2018–19 edition, secured after a penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland.

The full England squad is as follows: Pickford, Steele, Trafford, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Branthwaite, Chalobah, Guehi, Hol, Konza, Livanimento, O’Riley, Konsa, Anderson, Bellingham, Lewis Skelly, Mainoo, Palmer, Rice, Scott, Calvert-Lewin, Ezri, Gordon, Kane, Nkounoua, Rashford, Rogers, Saka.