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Trent Alexander-Arnold was left out by Thomas Tuchel for 2026 World Cup duty, so will the Real Madrid right-back feature for England again during the German coach’s spell in charge? Former Three Lions defender Stephen Warnock has tried to answer that question, with his fellow Merseyside native being told to prepare for the possibility of more disappointment.

When did Alexander-Arnold make his last England appearance?

Sir Gareth Southgate included Alexander-Arnold in his plans for Euro 2024, with the attack-minded full-back appearing in four matches at that tournament - including calmly converting a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Switzerland.

The player who won Premier League and Champions League titles with Liverpool before moving to Spain in 2025 has represented his country only once since then. Tuchel did send him on from the bench in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra in June 2025. Since that point, he has been stuck on the fringes at international level.

How many caps has Alexander-Arnold earned with England?

After making his senior debut in 2018 following an impressive breakthrough at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold would have expected to have more than 34 caps by this stage. However, he has regularly been overlooked - with favour disappearing just as quickly as it has been gained.

Competition at right-back has been intense over the years - with the likes of Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier long holding sway in that role - while Reece James, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Ben White currently sit in that pecking order, with Ezri Konsa also capable of shifting across from centre-back if needed.

With consistency proving to be an issue during his time in Madrid, Alexander-Arnold may struggle to move himself back to the front of the line. That is a slightly surprising position given the quality he has and the value he can bring to the team.

Will Alexander-Arnold feature for England again under Tuchel?

Asked whether a recall would come during Tuchel’s tenure, two-cap left-back Warnock said: “You'd have to say no at the moment, which I just find incredible.

“Because every time I watch him - he's got his defensive frailties, we all know that, but what he gives you going forward, if you're at centre-half alongside him, you're almost saying to him, ‘don't worry, I'll cover you, I'll do two jobs, I'm happy to do that’.

“I used to watch Liverpool so often with Fabinho or [Jordan] Henderson covering him on the right-hand side, because they knew the difference he could make going forward in the team. Even if you look at his appearances for Real Madrid this season, his passing range when he's come on to the pitch, they know they can make runs that no-one else can find them. It's a passing range like no other.

“I'm really disappointed for him. I feel sorry for him, because ultimately it's a game of opinions. When you're at that level, the one man at the top who stops you getting called into a squad, it's all about his opinion and how he sees things.

“Could we have done with him at the World Cup? Could he have made a difference? Potentially. But that was a big decision by Thomas Tuchel and he's going to live by that. We'll never know the outcome of it, because they almost got to the final. It's a difficult one for Trent, because he's almost in that hybrid position of a right-back and a midfielder.”

Nations League: When do England play again?

That versatility could help Alexander-Arnold, but he is not the only player capable of stepping out of defence and into midfield. Chelsea captain James can do that from the right, while Myles Lewis-Skelly and Nico O’Reilly have been performing similar roles at Arsenal and Manchester City respectively after operating at left-back.

Tuchel will not ignore club form when selecting future squads, which means the door should stay open for everyone available to him. England will return to action in late September and early October when they begin their latest UEFA Nations League campaign against Spain, Czechia and Croatia.