Marcus Rashford recalled as Thomas Tuchel announces first England squad as head coach for World Cup Qualifiers

Marcus Rashford has been recalled by Thomas Tuchel as he announced his first squad as England head coach for March's World Cup Qualifiers.

England play Albania and Latvia at Wembley in their first World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Rashford was frozen out by new Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim in December but his form has been impressive since joining Aston Villa on loan in January.

He has been rewarded with a return to the England set-up, having last featured for the Three Lions in March last year as a substitute against Brazil at Wembley.

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There is also a surprise return to the squad for Jordan Henderson. The Ajax midfielder's last appearance was in November 2023 against Malta.

Conor Gallagher, a midweek scorer against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Adam Wharton have been overlooked.

Kyle Walker has also been named. The full-back departed the Premier League and Manchester City for AC Milan in January.

Elsewhere, Myles Lewis-Skelly earns his first senior call-up. The Arsenal midfielder, who can also play at left-back, never earned an U21 cap, but he did play for England at lower youth levels.

Newcastle defender Dan Burn has also been included, having never featured for England at any level, while Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is selected again after making his senior debut in November.

Tuchel has only included two recognised strikers in his 26-player squad - Harry Kane and Dominic Solanke.

There is no place for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins, and Sky Sports News understands the Aston Villa forward misses out because of a minor knee issue that Tuchel and the player agreed to rest during the international break.

There are also a number of players missing through injury, including Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Hall and Bukayo Saka.

Tuchel: Picking Henderson was an easy decision

Henderson's selection has grabbed the headlines and despite the midfielder not playing for England since 2023 against Malta, Tuchel has claimed it was an "easy" decision based on the leadership and qualities a "serial winner" like the Ajax captain brings to the squad.

"With Jordan, it's a pretty easy one," Tuchel said in his press conference. "He's a serial winner, he's captain of Ajax at the moment and he's played a lot of matches.

"What he brings to every team is leadership, character, personality, energy. He makes sure that everyone lives by the standards.

"With this characteristic, he embodies everything we're trying to build.

"We're trying to build a team our fans are proud of and can identify with and is hopefully an exciting watch.

"Jordan embodies everything we want from this team."

Tuchel hoping Rashford can build on Villa momentum

Rashford's inclusion for the first time in 12 months was another to create a stir.

The forward is yet to score since joining Villa on loan from Man Utd in January but has registered four assists across his first nine appearances for the club, and Tuchel is keen for Rashford to build on this new-found momentum with England.

He continued: "With Marcus, it's a familiar face back in the team, but it's a different situation [to Henderson].

"I felt Marcus had a huge impact at Aston Villa. He's made a huge impact mainly from the bench and the impact was impressive.

"The physical impact was impressive and most importantly, the impact against the ball - his work rate, his defensive impact, his hard work in counter-pressing, his tracking back in his position was impressive.

"I had the strong feeling that we should nominate him, bring him in to push him to stay on that level and not fall back in old routines.

"This camp is to bond with him and push him to stay on that level."

Analysis: Tuchel wants experience in first squad

Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett at Wembley:

"We wondered whether Thomas Tuchel would spin some surprises - and boy, has he.

"Chief of those is Henderson's recall. Out of sight, out of mind for many England fans as he plies his trade for Ajax, he hasn't played for his country since Malta in November 2023.

"Injury problems for Kobbie Mainoo and Conor Gallagher may have had some influence here, likewise Crystal Palace's reluctance for Adam Wharton to join up, as he still gains full fitness after groin surgery.

"Rashford's inclusion is a big headline, after his year-long international exile. But he offers something few other England players do - huge experience. He has 60 caps, 17 international goals and raw pace, with an ability to run beyond Harry Kane.

"Myles Lewis-Skelly's first senior call-up is a real stand-out moment for him and for this England squad. You feel he could be England's first choice left-back for many years to come.

"It proves that Tuchel isn't anti-young in his selections - just pragmatic, in applying the principal that they are old enough if they are good enough. Lewis-Skelly feels a positive and exciting inclusion.

"There are four goalkeepers in too - Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and James Trafford, who is the clean sheet machine [for Burnley in the Championship] and one for the future.

"I have never seen an England manager pick four goalkeepers before. Maybe he is not certain who he wants the No 2 choice to be.

"In the absence of Harry Maguire due to injury, Dan Burn gets his chance. Reece James also returns with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured right now. He knows him well from his time at Chelsea.

"The big news comes as much from the absences, as from those who have got the nod. Ollie Watkins isn't in this squad, which had come as a surprise, but he did pick up a knock in Europe midweek.

"Jack Grealish is notable by his absence, but he simply hasn't played enough football to earn that chance. He has made only three Premier League substitute appearances this calendar year.

"There are a lot of surprises in this squad. What do we read into that? Tuchel wants some experience in this England squad."

England squad in full

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).

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Marcus Rashford recalled as Thomas Tuchel announces first England squad as head coach for World Cup Qualifiers