Thomas Tuchel wanted to send a “message” by omitting Cole Palmer from the England squad.

Palmer, the Chelsea midfielder, has fallen out of favour with Tuchel, who cast doubt on his hunger to represent England in September. Since Tuchel became head coach in January 2025, Palmer has played only three internationals.

The 24-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout Tuchel’s tenure and a groin problem forced him out of the camp in September, but he was available for selection on Friday. Tuchel, though, feels Palmer’s creative abilities are not required in the No10 position for next week’s Nations League games against Croatia and Spain.

“Someone more intelligent once said to me, ‘You cannot not send a message,’ ” Tuchel said of this decision. “A nomination is always a message.” Tuchel added that he had not spoken to Palmer about his omission. 

After Palmer was overlooked for last summer’s World Cup squad, he started this season well, earned an England recall, and was challenged by Tuchel to prove he belonged in the squad. However, his withdrawal before England’s first game of the window led to Tuchel bemoaning how Palmer “misses way too many camps”.

Although Palmer has played 791 of a possible 810 Premier League minutes this season, he was genuinely injured in September and only returned to full Chelsea training in the days before their first game after the international break. Yet his form has dipped since and Tuchel warned that missing England duty would have consequences.

“I guess everyone is desperate to play for England, and Cole is no exception,” he said. “But we are speaking about a player who is not in camp, and it counts when you are in camp. As I said last time, he misses too many opportunities to impress. It was a long camp, 2½ weeks, and the boys built something extraordinary. The credit goes to them.

“It’s not personal, and we will never assume that Cole is not in the mindset to play for his country, but the competition is on.”

Tuchel praised the players who, unlike Palmer, were able to perform for England during the four Nations League games over September and October. “It’s always about the ones who don’t withdraw, walk the walk and show that it matters,” he said.

Elsewhere, the 19-year-old Josh King and 21-year-old Jobe Bellingham are the squad’s two uncapped outfield players. Ben White and Djed Spence have returned after injuries.

Kobbie Mainoo was not selected. Tuchel revealed that he apologised to the 21-year-old midfielder in front of the World Cup squad for not playing him at all during the tournament, but added that Manchester United’s terrible season denied him another call-up.

“He was hugely disappointed from the World Cup, and deservedly so,” Tuchel said. “I said in front of the team and staff, ‘Sorry that I didn’t pick you. You did nothing wrong. That is on me.’

“I think it cost him a bit of confidence. He was excellent in training and in how he presented himself through the tournament. He was never a problem. 

“Then he pulled out of the last camp. I was desperate to give him the minutes in this new start. He then entered a difficult spell for himself. He was injured for a long time and Man United fell off a cliff a little bit performance-wise.”

Noni Madueke and Phil Foden have missed out despite upticks in form over the past month. Foden, the 2023-24 PFA Player of the Year, has not been called up since March and was edged out by Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White.

“It was close for Eberechi Eze to keep his place,” Tuchel said. “He’s not starting for Arsenal. The advantage was maybe that Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were in [the previous] camp. They need to fight for it. That’s what we want. And Phil is always close.”

Tuchel urged England fans not to boo White, who missed the previous camp and World Cup through injury. The Arsenal defender asked not to be selected under Gareth Southgate, Tuchel’s predecessor, and was jeered when making his international return last March at Wembley. While Tuchel suggested in September that White is also unavailable too often, on Friday the German praised his efforts in the March camp. “He deserves a new chapter and positive feedback from the crowd,” Tuchel said.

Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Alex Scott are among those out injured, while Nico O’Reilly was overlooked but is “not fully fit”, according to Tuchel. Trent Alexander-Arnold retains his place after September’s recall.

Tuchel told the BBC he expected to hold on to Anthony Barry, his assistant, until at least Euro 2028, despite rumours that Barry could be tempted by a Premier League job.

England host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday before playing Spain in Madrid next Sunday.