Roy Keane has entered the discussion surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exclusion from Thomas Tuchel’s expansive 35-man England squad, suggesting that factors beyond mere performance might be influencing the decision. Speculation arises as England prepares for the upcoming World Cup.
The absence of the former Liverpool star, particularly when right backs like Reece James, Tino Livramento, Jarrell Quansah, and Djed Spence have been selected, stands out as a notable omission. This decision has sparked widespread debate, given Alexander-Arnold’s reputation and past contributions on the field.
Adding to the controversy, Alexander-Arnold was overlooked a second time after injuries opened spots in the squad, with Ben White receiving an unexpected call-up, marking his return to the national team after nearly four years away.
On The Overlap’s Stick To Football podcast, Keane expressed puzzlement over the situation. He questioned, “When people talk about Trent and his defensive skills, he must look at the defenders chosen over him and think: ‘Well, they’re not great defensively either!’”
Keane continued, “It’s not like Tuchel is selecting a rock-solid defense. Some players ahead of him aren’t even strong defenders. There’s definitely something going on behind the scenes.”
He further critiqued the selection strategy, noting, “We keep discussing the England squad and how players can fit into different roles. But you want players who excel in their positions, not those who are just versatile.”
‘We keep talking about the England squad and saying, well they can play in different roles. You want lads who are really good, don’t be a jack of all trades.
‘Ben White’s only played seven league games for Arsenal. Seven!
‘You look at that squad and analyse it, defensively that England squad is not good, defensively,’ he added.
Tuchel most vocally shared his fears about Alexander-Arnold’s talents in defence almost a year ago, in May 2025.
‘I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort,’ Tuchel commented on the defender ahead of his move to Real Madrid.
‘I think there is a point to it. This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years, if he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.
‘Because when we are talking, especially, about qualifying football and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.’
Since moving to Madrid, Alexander-Arnold has seen his promise stifled by persistent injuries, but is starting to string together appearances for Los Blancos.
The German head coach has been vocal about his concern for Alexander-Arnold’s defensive skills since his appointment
A surprise call-up came for Ben White (right) after a long-term England hiatus – and reduced playing time for Arsenal this season
In Keane’s eyes, this might have otherwise been enough to convince his national team manager.
‘If you’re a player like Trent and you’re left out of a 35-man squad, I still think that’s on you, that’s on the player,’ Keane added.
‘You must think, “how have I not done enough to persuade a manager to get me in a squad?” There must be something.
‘It’s about in the group. Tuchel said from day one, “I need lads who are good travellers”, all this type of thing and there’s something obviously about him he doesn’t like.
‘It can’t be football. You don’t have to like everybody, but there’s something amiss, of course.’
In the wake of the snub, Alexander-Arnold appeared to give his verdict of Tuchel’s decision on social media on Monday.
After assisting Vinicius Jnr during the Madrid derby last weekend, Alexander-Arnold shared a picture of himself with the Brazilian star, captioning it in Spanish: ‘Madrid. And nothing else’.
