Levi Rothermund
Saka recalled as Tuchel leaves out Bellingham, Foden and Grealish
England have recalled Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka for the upcoming friendly with Wales and the World Cup qualifier in Latvia, but Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were not included.
Saka, 24, missed the recent qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia with a hamstring injury. He returned to Arsenal action and scored in their 2-0 win over Olympiacos on Wednesday.
Saka replaces Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke, who is sidelined until November with a knee problem.
The Three Lions play Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before the World Cup qualifier in Riga on 14 October. If England win in Latvia they will need a maximum of two points from their final two qualifiers, against Serbia and Albania in November, to reach next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah comes into the squad in place of Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, who is expected to miss up to eight weeks after suffering a knee injury against Arsenal last weekend.
Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence, who earned their first England call-ups last month, retain their places. Ruben Loftus-Cheek also keeps his spot despite the return to fitness of Adam Wharton.
Tuchel has used Saka only once since taking charge of England — in the 3-1 defeat by Senegal in June — largely because of fitness and hamstring issues.
Bellingham missed the last England camp while recovering from shoulder surgery and has made only one start for Real Madrid since his return to fitness. Foden was left out of Tuchel’s previous squad after a dip in form and has not forced his way back despite a strong start to the season with Manchester City. Grealish, on loan at Everton, also misses out and has not played for England since October 2024 under interim boss Lee Carsley.
Tuchel’s selections reflect continuity after England’s 5-0 win in Serbia, with several players retained who impressed during that victory. There is disappointment for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who has made an outstanding start to the season but was not selected.
England squad
Goalkeepers
- Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
- James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders
- Dan Burn (Newcastle United)
- Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
- Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)
- John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders
- Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
- Jordan Henderson (Brentford)
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)
- Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
- Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)