Thomas Tuchel might not be much of a Marvel fan, but the England head coach is trying to assemble a band of superheroes to take to this summer’s World Cup.
The headline acts of Tuchel’s World Cup Avengers are already settled on. Friday night’s audition against Uruguay gives his supporting cast the opportunity to show they too have superpowers that could prove crucial.
Tuchel has already referenced Harry Maguire’s “super-strength” at defending and attacking set-pieces. England’s Thor, thanks to his hammer-like heading ability, Maguire is the only defender in the squad for the Uruguay game to have scored from a set-piece in a league match this season.
But who else has something special Tuchel can use in the land of Captain America? Here, Telegraph Sport looks at the players hoping to unlock their superpowers against Uruguay and join Tuchel’s X-Men in the United States this summer.
Mr Fantastic: Cole Palmer
Palmer is currently in a battle with Phil Foden for a place in England’s squad and the Chelsea star already has a track record of proving he can be the man for the big occasion. For his club, he has stepped up in the Club World Cup final and from the substitutes’ bench in the decisive Champions League group game against Napoli. He also dragged England back into the final of the 2024 European Championship with a goal against Spain after stepping off the bench.
Of the England players available for the Uruguay game, Palmer has the best penalty record this season, having scored all five he has taken in the Premier League. He ranks among the highest for shot conversion rate, goals from the bench and fouls won in the final third.
Foden’s conversion rate in the league for Manchester City this season is just 13.7 per cent, which is behind Jordan Henderson.
The Flash: Marcus Rashford
Tuchel has thought from day one that Rashford can give England something different, having selected him for his very first squad as head coach. It would be a huge surprise if Rashford did not go to the World Cup, but the left-sided forward can still show his doubters exactly why he could be so valuable to his country in the United States. Rashford has the kind of pace that can terrify defenders, especially late in games, and his one-on-one ability is a superpower that could unlock low blocks or catch better opponents on the break.
England are by no means a slow squad, but Rashford’s speed makes him unique. For Barcelona this season, he has scored twice from the bench in La Liga, which is more than any other player in Tuchel’s squad for the Uruguay game.
Noni Madueke can also provide pace from the right and he has scored twice from set-pieces for Arsenal in the league this season.
Robin: Dominic Solanke
Given his injury problems during Tottenham Hotspur’s disastrous season, Solanke was somewhat of a surprise call-up by Tuchel. The striker has only scored six goals this season and yet his shot conversion rate in the league (21.4 per cent) is the highest of any England player who might appear at Wembley on Friday night.
One of Tuchel’s biggest headaches is either finding a deputy to his Batman, Harry Kane, or deciding how he would cope if the unthinkable happened and his captain was ruled out. If he can get a chance and take it against Uruguay, then Solanke might just claim England’s Robin role. Solanke faces competition from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but the fact three of his goals have come in the Champions League this season might also count in his favour. Calvert-Lewin’s penalty record for Leeds United, having scored two of his three spot-kicks in the league, will be appealing to Tuchel, as will his ability to win free-kicks.
The Joker: Harvey Barnes
Nobody really wants to consider the prospect of England trailing in a World Cup knockout game with five minutes to go, but that is exactly a scenario Tuchel must plan for. In the Euros, it was Ollie Watkins who made himself the hero in the semi-final victory over the Netherlands. England will again need somebody who might be able to step out of the shadows.
Barnes was a late call-up to this squad to replace Eberechi Eze and has it all to do to force his way to the World Cup. But the fact the winger has scored 14 goals for Newcastle United this season including five in the league since the start of November underlines his form and finishing ability and he has netted in big games against Barcelona and Manchester City too.
Of Tuchel’s squad for the Uruguay game, only Jude Bellingham (three) has scored more goals from set pieces in the league than Barnes (two), while he also ranks among the top six players to have won fouls in the final third.
Jarrod Bowen, the West Ham United captain, may also consider himself a joker in Tuchel’s pack, having scored 10 times this season. He has won more fouls (45) than any other England player available for Friday night’s World Cup audition and has proved himself reliable from the penalty spot. In a modern era where set-pieces could be king, such a skill could be appealing to Tuchel.
The Hulk: TBC
Tuchel has referenced the fact that England may well turn to long throw-ins during the World Cup, but he does not have a natural launcher of the ball in his group. Declan Rice, who does not join the squad until after the Uruguay game, is being groomed for the role at Arsenal, but could somebody show that they have the muscle to send a long throw into the box against Uruguay? If they can, then it might also catapult them up Tuchel’s list of World Cup superheroes.
Cole Palmer’s time to prove his worth to England is now
Thomas Tuchel has told Cole Palmer that the pressure is on him to clinch an England World Cup place.
Palmer is in line to play for England for the first time since June last year, when he made his only appearance under Tuchel to date, in Friday night’s World Cup audition against Uruguay.
The Chelsea player is in a fight with Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden for a place in head coach Tuchel’s squad among England’s No 10s.
Bellingham and Rogers will not face Uruguay, so Palmer is in a straight battle with Foden to make an immediate impression on Tuchel. It is understood the 23-year-old has trained well this week.
“Honestly, he has to show because we have more evidence without him than with him, so the pressure is on him,” Tuchel said. “He had a difficult season, but he has also had a difficult spell with the national team. He was only once available for us and when he was available, we decided to stick with the same squad, so there is big competition for his best position, No 10.”
‘He has to fight for his place’
Tuchel was spotted hugging Palmer in England training and the German added: “He really tries. When I hug him, that means he is smiling, otherwise he would not get a hug. He is in good spirits, he is open and he is communicating and is showing his quality. He is very engaged in the group and these are very important steps to show the performance to be involved in the group and have connections within the group. So he will get his chances during the next matches.”
Palmer’s season has been interrupted by a groin injury that he has been managing. But Tuchel has seen encouraging signs from him for Chelsea in recent weeks and now expects the forward to push his case for England.
“We saw good data lately, I saw him live against Arsenal and for the first time in a long time, I had the feeling his stride was back to the original lengths,” said Tuchel. “Before I felt he was not free and the stride was not long enough, the acceleration was not there and the movement was not free.
“I got the feedback from him and the feedback from Chelsea was that he felt during this game he was much, much better and he had a very strong game against Aston Villa with a huge physical output that we could see and from there, that was the first step.
“Before, we saw the physical output matching the impression we had that was lacking something but he is back to full confidence and we see it in training. He is not pulling out or holding back. At the same time that is what we wanted. We have had four training sessions and he needs to show up. He cannot hold back. He needs to understand he fights for his place and we will not hand anything to anyone on a silver platter, and he did this in a very nice way in exactly the right way.”
‘A huddle with a ref in the middle is awkward’
Palmer was one of a group of players to be given a bib for England’s final training session before the Uruguay game. The others were Tino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Djed Spence, James Garner, Adam Wharton, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford and Dominic Solanke. Stones, however, is a doubt because of a calf issue, which could hand an opportunity to Fikayo Tomori.
Tuchel did not shy away from the fact that this camp represents a last chance for some of his players. He has already decided which of those will leave the squad to create space for the 11 who have been given a rest before reporting for duty on Saturday.
“That is the reality,” said Tuchel. “We address the reality and encourage everyone to be the best version of themselves and to enjoy it. It is the last camp before the World Cup. That’s just how it is, and everyone tries to impress.
“We encourage them to be good team-mates and be positive, train with a positive attitude, and connect as fast as possible, because some of them are new, some of them haven’t been in camp for quite a long time. And everyone did this. Very positive about these days together. And hopefully we can show it.
“It will be a new line-up, a new mix of teams. It is not always easy. And then suddenly you get the chance. Everything is new, not only for yourself but for your team-mates and you. And this is not always easy but we take it into consideration and go from there, and at the moment we are very positive. Hopefully they can show it.”
Tuchel was at Stamford Bridge earlier this month when Palmer was one of the Chelsea players who huddled around referee Paul Tierney before the home defeat to Newcastle United.
On the subject of whether or not England players will conduct on-pitch huddles ahead of World Cup games this summer, Tuchel said: “I’m not involved in the huddle and I don’t even know what we do at the moment. Do we do one? But a huddle with a referee in the middle is, for sure, awkward! We will not go for that!”