Tuchel had to ‘clear the air’ with Ivan Toney before World Cup wildcard choice

England head coach Thomas Tuchel selected Ivan Toney as the wildcard pick in his 26-man World Cup squad after holding clear-the-air talks with the Al-Ahli striker about his attitude and commitment. Tuchel also factored in how Toney complements Harry Kane when making his decision. Notable omissions from the squad include Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Harry Maguire, with Tuchel stating Palmer had failed to produce consistently this season and that he was uncertain of Foden's best position.