England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes cost of first recreation and names workforce
England take on Albania at Wembley in Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge. The German coach has been appointed on an 18-month contract through to the 2026 World Cup and England begin that journey as their qualifying campaign gets underway.
Tuchel has wasted no time explaining where England fell short under Gareth Southgate, saying that he felt the team were “afraid” during last summer’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. “I want us to play with excitement and the hunger and desire to win,” Tuchel said. “And the acceptance of failure is part of it, especially in football.”
Tuchel arrives with an impressive CV, that includes winning the Champions League with Chelsea, and made a number of eye-catching calls when naming his first squad, including a recall for former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
Now all eyes are on Tuchel’s first England line-up as the Three Lions look to hit the ground running in their World Cup qualifying group that includes Serbia, Latvia, Andorra and tonight’s opponents Albania.
Follow live updates from Wembley ahead of Tuchel’s first game in charge, below:
England team news: Marcus Rashford returns
Rashford has not played for England since a 1-0 defeat to Brazil on 23 March 2024. Almost a year later, his decision to get out of Manchester United and join Aston Villa on loan has been vindicated, as his improved form results in a return to the England team.
England team news: Two debutants in Thomas Tuchel’s first team
Six days on from his heroics in the Carabao Cup final, Dan Burn starts for England at Wembley and wins his first cap. He will play alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly, another debutant named by Thomas Tuchel.
Jordan Pickford is in goal and Kyle Walker is at right back. Ezri Konsa joins Burn at centre-back, with Lewis Skelly at left back.
Curtis Jones joins Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield. Phil Foden starts on the right with Marcus Rashford returning to start on the left. Harry Kane leads the line.
England debuts for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn make their England debuts against Albania. Curtis Jones and Marcus Rashford are also included in the first team named by Thomas Tuchel.
Breaking: England line-up confirmed
England XI: Pickford, Walker, Konsa, Burn, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Bellingham, Jones; Foden, Kane, Rashford
Subs: D Henderson,Trafford, James, Guehi, J Henderson, Colwill, Eze, Rogers,Gordon, Solanke, Bowen, Livramento.
England team news: Marc Guehi on the bench
Dan Burn and Ezri Konsa will be Thomas Tuchel’s centre-backs tonight. A debut for Burn, and what a moment for him, but a big decision to bench Marc Guehi – who is England’s most experienced centre-back at the moment with John Stones and Harry Maguire injured.
England team news: Three players left out of matchday squad
Thomas Tuchel has reportedly left three players out of his matchday squad to face Albania, with the new England head coach limited to a matchday group of 23 players.
Morgan Gibbs-White has been told that be will play no part in tonight’s game, along with Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah.
Gibbs-White, who has impressed with Nottingham Forest this season, was a late call-up to the squad to replace the injured Cole Palmer.
Curtis Jones set for England appearance?
Curtis Jones has been one of the names mentioned to have impressed Thomas Tuchel this week.
The Liverpool midfielder was impressive on his debut in England’s 3-0 win over Greece in Athens in November.
Could he be a contender to play in midfield, alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham?
‘The road to 2026 starts here’
Wembley is preparing for the historic occasion of Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge.
The German is on the front of the match programme and his face is also on the big screens, with less than two hours until kick-off.
A good omen for England?
A random fact but one that will please England fans.
The Three Lions have won 16 of their last 17 internationals against nations whose name begins with A (one draw), keeping 15 clean sheets.
The last ‘A’ nation to beat England was Australia at Upton Park back in February 2003, while in a competitive match it was Argentina at the 1986 World Cup.
