Chelsea have one more game to play in the Premier League this season. And then, this disappointing campaign will come to an end. It has been a nightmare in many ways. Two managers have departed. But a new one has already been selected, and it is the most popular choice BlueCo have made so far. Things are finally looking up. But it is important to follow through in the summer.
Of course, this no ordinary summer. It is a World Cup year. And that means that for a month, the eyes of football fans across the globe will be away from their clubs, at least partially, and on national team fortunes.
Unfortunately, not everybody is going to be involved in this World Cup. In fact, Chelsea players seem to have some especially bad luck in this regard.
Joao Pedro being left out of the Brazil squad was a surprise. And now, there is an equally big one. According to Fabrizio Romano on Instagram:
Official: Cole Palmer will be out of the 2026 World Cup — Tuchel has decided!
Technical decision confirmed by the England manager
Being left out of the World Cup is a blow for Cole Palmer
Rumours had been floating about since last night that Palmer was going to miss out on the England squad. And now, with the update coming in from Romano, it is as good as official.
Now, on a talent level, there is no doubt that Palmer should be in that squad. He is one of the few English players who has that natural ability to pull a rabbit out of his magic hat. He did so in the EURO 2024 final against Spain, after being overlooked for the majority of the tournament by Gareth Southgate.
Palmer has also put in match-winning performances for Chelsea in finals. The PSG one from last summer stands out. But the one against Real Betis a few months before that was just as impressive.
Leaving out that kind of player is a risk that Thomas Tuchel seems open to taking. Of course, he is one of the best managers in the world when it comes to knockout tournaments. So, his decisions need to be respected until proven wrong.
Palmer being dropped might be good for both him and Chelsea in the long run
While Chelsea fans know what Palmer is capable of on his day, one cannot deny that we have not seen him perform at that level for several months now. The Englishman has spent a large portion of the season dealing with a groin issue. And even though he seems to be close to full fitness now, the performance levels have not picked back up.
Perhaps what Palmer needs right now is a good summer of rest. Not just to regain his fitness but to clear his head as well. He simply does not seem to have the confidence at the moment either. He is not making the instinctive that he used to in his first 18 months as a Chelsea player. The ones that made him one of the biggest names in football.
From a Chelsea perspective, Palmer getting dropped is not the worst thing in the world. He now gets the summer off and will also have a full pre-season with Xabi Alonso. That can only serve him well in the long run.