Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly set to be left out of England’s squad for the World Cup, with Djed Spence included.
Spence Gets the Nod
The Real Madrid full-back’s exclusion comes with Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento preferred, and with Manchester United’s Luke Shaw also not picked.
Spence’s inclusion comes after he suffered a broken jaw after a collision with Chelsea’s Liam Delap in Tottenham’s defeat at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. He is expected to wear a protective mask for Sunday’s Premier League game against Everton.
Alexander-Arnold’s Recent England Absence
Alexander-Arnold has not been called up to the England squad since June 2025, when he made his only appearance under Thomas Tuchel, as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Andorra.
An ankle injury during his final season at Liverpool prevented the right-back from being included in Tuchel’s first squad in March 2025, while a hamstring injury also kept him out of the October camp, but he has otherwise consistently not been selected by Tuchel.
Alexander-Arnold’s Career So Far
The 27-year-old moved to Real Madrid from Liverpool last summer but experienced a difficult first season in Spain, providing five assists in 30 appearances across all competitions as the club finished the season without a trophy.
Alexander-Arnold made his international debut in 2018 and has been capped 38 times by England, though he has made only three starts at major tournaments, and was occasionally deployed as a central midfielder under previous manager Gareth Southgate.
What Spence Brings to the Squad
Spence has made 43 appearances for Spurs this season but has started only one of their past five games, a 1-0 win over bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 25-year-old made the last of his four England appearances against Uruguay in March, after making his senior debut in September.
Tuchel handed Spence his England debut in Belgrade in September and he has won three more caps since then.
There is a lot to be said for Spence, who can play comfortably at either left-back or right-back, is a very gifted defender in one-v-one situations and carries the ball forward gracefully. There were times in the middle of last season when he looked like one of Tottenham’s best players.
Concerns About Spence’s Attitude
But Tuchel openly admitted in November he “didn’t like it” when Spence appeared to ignore then-Spurs manager Thomas Frank after a league defeat by Chelsea. Spence has long faced questions about his attitude, dating back to the start of his career.
Even this season at Spurs he has not necessarily been first choice. Pedro Porro plays on the right when fit, and so Spence tends to play on the left when Destiny Udogie is unavailable. Perhaps it is Spence’s versatility that has won him his place in the squad.
Spence’s inclusion comes as a surprise to some, given that he suffered a broken jaw after a collision earlier this week.