Marcus Rashford Returns to England Squad Under New Manager Thomas Tuchel
Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford has earned a recall to the England national team as new manager Thomas Tuchel named his first squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Albania and Latvia.
Rashford, who last featured for England in a friendly against Brazil in March 2024, has made a positive impact since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United in January. Despite not yet finding the back of the net for his new club, the 27-year-old has contributed four assists as he works to revitalize his career.
With 60 caps and eight goals for England, Rashford had fallen out of favor under previous manager Gareth Southgate following a downturn in form at Manchester United. His absence was particularly notable during Euro 2024, where England reached the final before losing to Spain, and he was also overlooked for the 2024-25 Nations League campaign.
Interestingly, Tuchel and Rashford share a history from the German manager's time at Paris Saint-Germain. Before a Champions League match against Manchester United in 2020, Tuchel described Rashford as a "big threat" and jokingly called him "a bit annoying."
Newcastle defender Dan Burn and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly are among the fresh faces in the squad, receiving their first international call-ups. Burn, 32, has never represented England at any level but offers versatility as he can play both as a central defender and at left-back. Lewis-Skelly, just 18, made his competitive debut for Arsenal in September and has already accumulated 25 appearances this season, primarily at left-back though he can also play in midfield.
Other players hoping for their first senior caps include Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah. Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke, who recently returned from a two-month injury layoff, has been selected ahead of Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.
Tuchel has balanced youth with experience by recalling 34-year-old Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson. The veteran midfielder made his England debut in 2010 under Fabio Capello—the last non-English manager before Tuchel—and last played for the national team against Malta in November 2023.
England will begin their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup with matches at Wembley against Albania on Friday, March 21, and Latvia on Monday, March 24, with both games kicking off at 19:45 GMT.
