Former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has discussed missing out on the World Cup squad for England, as he was one of several high-profile players to be omitted by Thomas Tuchel
Trent Alexander-Arnold discussed how he found out he was left out of the England squad for the World Cup
Trent Alexander-Arnold discussed how he found out he was left out of the England squad for the World Cup(Image: (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images))
Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he was "absolutely gutted" when Thomas Tuchel called to end his dreams of being in the England squad for the World Cup this summer.
The former Liverpool star was one of several high-profile players to miss out on a place in the team, as Premier League aces Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were among the omissions most heavily discussed.
The 27-year-old right-back had featured just once under Tuchel, which came in a 26-minute cameo against Andorra in June, while he was an unused substitute in the following friendly against Senegal. Despite a difficult campaign with Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold still fancied his chances of making the final roster, with the right-back position being a particular issue for England in recent years.
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However, despite having some hope of making the squad, the ex-Liverpool ace was left out in favor of Reece James and Tino Livramento in the final roster.
It was a moment that devastated Alexander-Arnold, who recalled the phone call he got from Tuchel over the days he and the rest of the team were told their fates.
He told The Mirror: "I was aware the calls were underway. Other players I knew had had their call the day before. I’ll be honest, I was full of hope.
"When the call came, I was at home in Madrid. I had some family over visiting, and I went to my bedroom to take the call.
"When I put the phone down, I was properly gutted. Absolutely gutted. I’d made no plans for my summer because I hoped I’d be in the squad."
Thomas Tuchel has previously discussed Trent Alexander-Arnold's place in the England setup
Thomas Tuchel has previously discussed Trent Alexander-Arnold's place in the England setup(Image: (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
That setback was only emphasized further during the World Cup, when Livramento's injury saw the Newcastle ace replaced by Trevoh Chalobah, instead of Alexander-Arnold.
It was just the latest of a string of setbacks for the defender in a difficult year for his career, which saw him struggle with injuries and a lack of momentum at Real Madrid.
Those difficulties may have ultimately played a role in his exclusion from the England squad, as he struggled to make a case for why he should be included for Tuchel.
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What it did provide, however, was a blank summer for the right-back to work with, which gave him ample rest and preparation time for the new season.
Whether that will result in an uptick in form this season remains to be seen, though he was benched by Jose Mourinho in the first match of the campaign.
It sets up an important year ahead for Alexander-Arnold, who will need to bounce back from a year filled with disappointments.