Thomas Tuchel has said Cole Palmer “misses too many opportunities” to play for England after the Chelsea forward pulled out of the latest squad. Palmer’s withdrawal came as a surprise because he has started all five of Chelsea’s Premier League matches so far this season, although Tuchel said he had been playing with discomfort and pain. The 24-year-old was left out of the World Cup squad by Tuchel and has featured just three times since the German took charge in January 2025.
Tuchel said: “My understanding is that he is playing with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete at the highest level with discomfort and pain. So he withdrew and informed us, and Chelsea informed us.” He added: “For sure. It is a missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities. I don’t blame him for it. It is just a fact.” Tuchel said Palmer misses too many camps with injuries and that he wants to rely only on what he witnesses and sees within his team, which requires being in camp. He said if a player is not in camp, there is a next level to impress that cannot be achieved because it can only be done on the pitch with him. “So yes, it is a missed opportunity.”
It is understood Palmer is currently abroad completing an injury-specific training plan. Chelsea’s non-international players have been given days off and permitted to travel if they wish, and Palmer has been accompanied by a Chelsea rehabilitation coach on his overseas trip. Declan Rice, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are the other players who pulled out with injury.
Tuchel said he was not worried that players may put their clubs above playing for their country. He said: “We are not managing load. When I was in club football, I used the term ‘international break’ and, when you hear it from the other side, it is a totally different picture.” He described the England environment as competitive but one players love to be part of, and said it is what togetherness and brotherhood look like, created since last September in qualifying. “We will never compromise on that,” he said. “We will never let it creep in that we have a feeling players do not want to come. We focus on the guys who absolutely want to play for England.”
England’s match against world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday is their first game since the end of the World Cup. The Three Lions ended the tournament with a 6-4 win in the Bronze medal match against France but were criticised for the way they lost 2-1 to Argentina in the semi-final. England led 1-0 going into the final 15 minutes but dropped deep and conceded possession, with Argentina scoring two goals in the final minutes to reach the final. Tuchel does not think there will be a negative reaction from fans because of the result. “I would be very surprised if the atmosphere would hold a third place or an accident in the 85th minute of a semi-final against us and against our team, that would surprise me a lot,” he said. He said the time and how fast the game sold out showed how excited everyone is to come and watch.
Tuchel also looked ahead to Spain, saying: “Spain make it hard for you to play a high intensity game. They are happy to control the ball and the rhythm.” He said there can be spells when England suffer and have to suffer, but also spells where they dominate and bring the attributes that make them strong. England will play four matches during this international window.