Former England captain David Beckham has voiced his support for Trent Alexander-Arnold after his snub from Thomas Tuchel's latest squad, insisting it would be difficult to leave the Real Madrid star at home.
The Three Lions recently played out a cagey draw with Uruguay at Wembley Stadium as Thomas Tuchel continues to evaluate his options ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
England are set to face Japan on Tuesday in their final warm-up fixture on home soil before the tournament begins in North America this summer.
However, the headlines have been dominated by the high-profile omission of Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold from the expanded 35-man squad.
Beckham backs Alexander-Arnold for England World Cup spot
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Speaking to talkSPORT via Mirror Football, Beckham compared Alexander-Arnold's attacking style to that of his former Real Madrid teammate Roberto Carlos.
The iconic ex-midfielder suggested that a balanced system should be able to accommodate a player of his calibre regardless of tactical rigidity.
“That’s why I’m not England manager, because I don’t have to make those decisions," said the Manchester United legend. "But, I’m a massive fan of Trent.
"I’ve heard so many times about, ‘Well, he’s not as good at defending as he is [attacking]’. Well, sometimes you have to accept that. Roberto Carlos was an unbelievable defender, but also an unbelievable going forward.
"He’d always go forward, and then we’d have to cover him, so those kind of things you expect. But with Trent, would I take him? I’d find it very hard not to take someone like Trent. But then Thomas, he’s come out and said that there are other players that are ahead of him at the moment."
Will Tuchel reconsider Alexander-Arnold for North America tournament?
Despite the public backing from a national icon, Alexander-Arnold remains behind the likes of a fit Reece James, Tino Livramento and Ben White in the current pecking order.
Tuchel has explained that the wing-back's specific strengths do not currently align with the structural demands of the team's defensive setup.
The upcoming Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich is expected to serve as a vital audition for the former Liverpool man.
Success on the elite European stage may be the only way to force a rethink before the final squad is submitted in May.