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Tuesday, 3 November 2026dailybeirut.com
Football
Thomas Tuchel named England’s squad for the upcoming international break, including 18-year-old Liverpool striker Ryo Nkounoua, a surprise recall for Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott’s second call-up under the manager.
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.
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.
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.
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.
