Is Palmer's England career over under Tuchel?

Cole Palmer faces a fight to save his England career after he was excluded from Thomas Tuchel's latest squad, says chief football writer Phil McNulty. Thomas Tuchel's brutal assessment of Cole Palmer's exclusion from England's latest squad made it crystal clear Chelsea's gifted playmaker faces a fight to save his international career under the German head coach. "He misses too many opportunities to impress" was Tuchel's blunt explanation for Palmer's absence, after the 24-year-old withdrew the previous England camp citing a minor injury. Tuchel's message was so stark, so pointed, that Palmer must now be wondering when he will get another opportunity to impress. And, to make it even more chastening, Tuchel took his decision after receiving assurances that Palmer was fully fit and available for selection for England's upcoming Nations League games – at home to Croatia then against World Cup holders Spain in Madrid.

There is believed to be surprise from inside Palmer's camp that he has not been included, but Tuchel has proved in the past there is no sentiment or star system in operation on his England watch. Palmer's fall from grace with England can be illustrated by the fact he was regarded as part of a golden future when he scored a superb goal in a losing cause against Spain in the Euro 2024 final