Rashford Roars To Three Lions Returns As Tuchel Names First England Squad

Marcus Rashford’s resurgence at Aston Villa has earned him a recall to Thomas Tuchel’s maiden England squad, announced Friday, marking his first national nod since a Brazil friendly in March 2024. The 27-year-old, on loan from Manchester United since January, last wore the Three Lions shirt under Gareth Southgate, whose tenure ended after England’s Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. Now, with four assists in Villa’s Champions League quarter-final push, Rashford’s redemption arc is in full swing—though goals remain elusive.

Tuchel’s 26-man lineup, set for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley on 21 and 24 March (both 19:45 GMT), blends youth and experience. Newcastle’s Dan Burn, 32, and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, eye debuts—Burn a versatile rock, Lewis-Skelly a breakout star with 25 Arsenal outings this term. “Rashford’s a big threat,” Tuchel said in 2020, then at Paris St-Germain, before a Champions League clash with United. “A bit annoying, too,” he quipped, a nod to the forward’s knack for unsettling defences—now a weapon Tuchel wields.

Rashford’s 60 caps and eight goals had faded from Southgate’s radar amid United woes, missing both Euro 2024 and the 2024-25 Nations League. His Villa revival has flipped the script. Yet he’s not alone in the spotlight. Burn, uncapped at any England level, brings steel from Newcastle’s backline, adept at centre-back or left-back. Lewis-Skelly, a left-back with midfield nous, has surged since his September senior bow, offering Tuchel tactical flexibility.

Youth gets further billing with Burnley’s James Trafford and Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, both chasing first caps. Trafford’s shot-stopping and Quansah’s composure hint at England’s future, while Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke, back from a two-month injury layoff, edges out Villa’s Ollie Watkins after a gritty 90 minutes in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Experience anchors the mix, too—Ajax’s Jordan Henderson, 34, returns after last featuring in November 2023 against Malta. Debuting under Fabio Capello in 2010, the ex-Liverpool skipper bridges eras under England’s second non-English boss.

Tuchel’s picks signal intent: Kane, Bellingham, and Rice form a spine, but the fringes brim with intrigue. Morgan Rogers, Villa’s rising star, joins Rashford in midfield, while Curtis Jones and Cole Palmer add flair. Defensively, Kyle Walker—on loan at AC Milan—and Reece James bolster a unit blending grit and pace. Posts on X laud Rashford’s “Unai Effect,” crediting Villa boss Emery’s nous, yet some ponder Watkins’ snub despite his club form.

England’s road to 2026 kicks off with Albania’s grit and Latvia’s pluck—tests to gauge Tuchel’s imprint. For Rashford, it’s a shot at rewriting his narrative; for Burn and Lewis-Skelly, a chance to etch theirs. Henderson’s nod, meanwhile, stirs debate—nostalgia or necessity? This squad’s depth promises fireworks.

England Squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)