Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been handed an England opportunity, but Alan Shearer has already made it clear that a World Cup place remains out of reach.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been included in the England squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan as Thomas Tuchel assesses his options ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Those fixtures against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley are the final games before the World Cup squad is named, which makes this call-up significant but not decisive. It comes after a superb season with Leeds.
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Signed on a free after his Everton exit, many questioned Calvert-Lewin’s arrival. But the Leeds striker has scored 10 Premier League goals and it has done enough to catch the attention of England boss Tuchel.
Alan Shearer delivers blunt verdict on Calvert-Lewin’s chances
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Shearer made it clear that Calvert-Lewin is not viewed as a serious contender to lead England’s attack. He says he would be “amazed” if Calvert-Lewin wins a ticket.
“I look at the centre-forwards, Welbeck is the top English scorer in the Premier League. Watkins got a goal today. I think he [Tuchel] is looking, thinking, okay, I know what you guys [Welbeck and Watkins] can do.
“I’ll have a look at Calvert-Lewin and Solanke. But I’d be amazed if either one of those two were to go instead of Watkins, Solanke has three Premier League goals, Calvert-Lewin has two in his last 12.”
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The gap between selection and serious contention is clear
Calvert-Lewin’s inclusion reflects a need to assess options rather than a shift in the established order, with Watkins positioned clearly ahead in the current thinking.
Shearer’s assessment draws a firm line between players being given minutes in March and those expected to travel, with Calvert-Lewin placed firmly in the former group.
Calvert-Lewin’s England record shows past promise, not current standing
Calvert-Lewin has 11 England caps and four goals, with his most productive period coming earlier in his international career.
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Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
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That return includes a brace against San Marino and further goals against Ireland and Wales, but those contributions have not translated into a sustained role in the current squad.
Calvert-Lewin has been given a chance to impress, but the evidence already points to a settled hierarchy, and Shearer’s verdict underlines that his place in the squad is about evaluation rather than expectation.
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