Key Takeaways:
- Jude Bellingham was omitted from the latest England squad for the upcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia, despite returning to fitness
- Bukayo Saka is included after recovering from injury, rejoining the attacking line-up
- Jack Grealish remains out of favour and was not selected for international duty
Bellingham Misses Out While Saka Returns
Jude Bellingham has not been named in the most recent England squad, despite having recovered from a shoulder problem that required surgery. Although the Real Madrid midfielder recently logged playing time in both La Liga and the Champions League, England manager Thomas Tuchel has opted against risking him for the impending friendly with Wales and the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
In contrast, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has been welcomed back into the fold after overcoming his own injury issues. Saka, who spent time sidelined in north London, strengthens England’s options in attack as the team seeks to inject further creativity into an already-impressive World Cup qualifying campaign.
Your #ThreeLions for October! 🥁
— England (@England) October 3, 2025
Three Lions Seeking Continued Dominance
England have produced a faultless record through five World Cup qualifiers, accumulating 15 points and scoring 13 goals without conceding any. Tuchel’s selection, therefore, appears aimed at maintaining momentum while not risking players fresh from injury.
Jack Grealish, currently at Everton, was again overlooked and remains absent from the international set-up for these matches.
Full England Squad for Wales and Latvia Fixtures
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City) |
| Defenders | Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City) |
| Midfielders | Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) |
| Forwards | Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) |
