England's Euro 2028 Preparations Begin as Tuchel Names First Extended Squad

A New Chapter Begins

Thomas Tuchel has named his first extended 35-man England squad since the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, with the German manager using the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Spain as an opportunity to begin the long-term process of building a squad capable of winning the European Championship on home soil in 2028. The squad includes several uncapped players - Brighton's Evan Ferguson, Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, and Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo are all named for the first time - alongside the established core of Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden who have formed the backbone of the national team under Tuchel's management.

Tuchel has England playing some of their most attractive football in years

The Nations League has provided Tuchel with a competitive environment in which to experiment, and the manager has used the tournament to trial different tactical approaches and personnel combinations. England's 3-4-3 formation, deployed in the group stage matches against Germany and Italy, generated considerable excitement, with the three centre-backs providing the platform for the wing-backs - Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kieran Trippier - to operate as auxiliary attackers. The system, however, requires specific personnel in the pivot position, and Tuchel has identified Mainoo as the most natural fit for the role among the current generation of English midfielders.

The New Wave

The inclusion of Ethan Nwaneri, the Arsenal midfielder who turned 19 last month, is perhaps the most eye-catching of the new call-ups. The teenager, who made his senior league debut at 15 and has established himself as a regular feature of Mikel Arteta's first-team squad, has been in outstanding form this season, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists in all competitions. His technical quality, his movement between the lines, and his composure in front of goal have drawn comparisons with Paul Scholes, though Nwaneri is more direct in his running. Tuchel is understood to view the youngster as a long-term option in the No. 10 position, providing competition and eventually succession to Bellingham.

Nwaneri

Evan Ferguson, the Brighton striker who has scored 18 Premier League goals this season in his breakthrough campaign, brings a different kind of profile to the England attack. The 21-year-old Irishman - who qualified for England through his grandfather's birthplace - is a physically imposing centre-forward with excellent technique and a talent for scoring with both feet. His arrival in the national team picture gives Tuchel a more conventional No. 9 option as an alternative to the free-roaming Foden and Bellingham, who typically operate in more advanced midfield roles when representing England.

Bellingham's New Role

Tuchel has been transparent about his intention to deploy Jude Bellingham differently for England than he does for Real Madrid. In the national team setup, Bellingham is expected to operate from a slightly deeper position - as a box-to-box midfielder rather than a No. 10 - with the creative burden shared more evenly across the squad. The manager believes this approach will make England more difficult to press and more balanced in transition, while still allowing Bellingham the freedom to make late runs into the penalty area and to score the goals that have made him the most complete midfielder in European football.

Bellingham

The Nations League semi-final against Spain in Seville will be England's most significant match since their Euro 2021 final defeat to Italy, and Tuchel has been careful to balance his developmental objectives with the need to produce a competitive performance. A victory against La Roja would represent a major psychological boost ahead of the World Cup, where England have been drawn alongside France, Australia, and Ecuador in a challenging group. The final squad for North America will be announced in mid-June.

Looking to 2028

The broader context of Tuchel's squad selection is the Euro 2028 tournament, which will be hosted across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. The tournament represents England's most significant opportunity since the 2018 World Cup to win a major international trophy at home, and the FA has made clear that building a winning team for that competition is the primary objective of Tuchel's tenure. With Bellingham, Saka, Foden, and a new wave of younger talent emerging behind them, the prospects look genuinely encouraging.

Euro 2028 on home soil represents England

We have a lot of talented players in this country, and we want to create an environment where they can develop and improve. Euro 2028 is our big goal, and everything we do between now and then is preparation for that tournament. - Thomas Tuchel

Conclusion

Tuchel's England are an exciting proposition. The blend of established quality and emerging talent, allied to a clear tactical philosophy and the motivating factor of a home tournament in two years' time, gives the national team a sense of direction and ambition that has sometimes been lacking in previous cycles. The next 24 months will be crucial in determining whether that ambition can be translated into tangible success.