Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to be left out of England’s World Cup squad, with Djed Spence included despite a broken jaw suffered after a collision with Chelsea’s Liam Delap at Stamford Bridge. The decision also leaves out Newcastle’s Tino Livramento’s prefer
For a player who has worn England colors across 38 caps. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s absence from the World Cup squad will land like a quiet shock. He is set to miss out after not being called up since June 2025. when he made his only appearance under Thomas Tuchel as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Andorra.
The squad call goes in a different direction. Djed Spence is included. even after he suffered a broken jaw following a collision with Chelsea’s Liam Delap in Tottenham’s defeat at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. Spence is expected to wear a protective mask for Sunday’s Premier League game against Everton.
Alexander-Arnold’s situation has been building for longer than one selection meeting. His ankle injury during his final season at Liverpool left him out of Tuchel’s first squad in March 2025. A hamstring injury also kept him out of the October camp. Even when he’s been fit, he has otherwise consistently not been selected by Tuchel.
Difficult seasons can be measured in stats, but they rarely feel that way in real time. Alexander-Arnold, 27, moved to Real Madrid from Liverpool last summer and endured a tough first season in Spain. Across all competitions, he recorded five assists in 30 appearances as Real Madrid finished the season without a trophy.
Internationally, the picture looks uneven too. Alexander-Arnold made his England debut in 2018 and has been capped 38 times. but he has made only three starts at major tournaments. At times under Gareth Southgate. he was also deployed as a central midfielder. adding another layer to a role he has sometimes had to reinvent.
Spence’s road to this squad is different—more jagged, more immediate. The 25-year-old has made 43 appearances for Spurs this season. but he has started only one of their past five games. a 1-0 win over bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers. His most recent England appearance came against Uruguay in March, after making his senior debut in September.
The Spurs side of his story isn’t just about minutes, either. The explanation many have leaned on is that Spence can be moved across defensive positions when needed. He was given his England debut in Belgrade in September by Tuchel, and he has won three more caps since then.
That versatility has also been part of the debate around him. Even this season at Spurs, he has not necessarily been first choice. There were moments late last season when he looked like one of Tottenham’s best players—yet there have long been questions about attitude. stretching back to the start of his career.
Tuchel’s own admission in November still lingers: he “didn’t like it” when Spence appeared to ignore then-Spurs manager Thomas Frank after a league defeat by Chelsea. For England selectors, attitude and role discipline don’t sit in the background; they become part of the risk calculation.
One other name is now notably tied to this selection conversation: Tino Livramento of Newcastle United. The decision to leave Alexander-Arnold out comes with Livramento’s preferred situation being part of the picture, while Manchester United defender Luke Shaw is also not picked.
Inside Tottenham, the team’s shape helps explain why Spence has often been asked to be ready. Pedro Porro plays on the right when fit. so Spence tends to play on the left when Destiny Udogie is unavailable. Perhaps that’s why—on a practical level—Spence’s ability to cover multiple spots has weighed most heavily.
There’s a line that connects the selection decisions at this moment: Alexander-Arnold’s history of injuries and lack of call-ups under Tuchel meets Spence’s current availability despite a broken jaw. On paper, one is a decorated international with momentum challenged by fitness. The other is a defender asked to carry risk and recovery at the same time. In the end. England’s squad appears to be built around who can step in—immediately—and who can be used in the ways the tournament demands.
For Spence, the next test is already scheduled: Sunday’s Premier League game against Everton, played with a protective mask after the Stamford Bridge collision. For Alexander-Arnold, the next question is much harder—what it takes to return to a place in a squad that has moved on without him.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Djed Spence England World Cup squad Real Madrid Tottenham broken jaw Stamford Bridge Liam Delap Everton Luke Shaw Tino Livramento Thomas Tuchel