Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, and Marcus Rashford will not be representing the England national team during the upcoming international break. Thomas Tuchel, manager of Chelsea, is also missing players Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento, but has decided to call up Morgan Gibbs-White and James Garner to fill the gaps in the squad.
Palmer’s absence comes after he played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s recent 0-3 defeat against Brentford. Meanwhile, Rice, who also played the entire match, will not participate as Arsenal suffered a loss to Brighton & Hove Albion. Rashford continues to deal with a hip issue that Manchester United has been managing since the World Cup.
Both Mainoo and Livramento are sidelined due to fitness concerns, leaving them unavailable for duty with the national team. In light of these developments, Tuchel has reached out to Gibbs-White and Garner, bringing them on board after confirming that five players would miss the upcoming training camp and the series of Nations League matches.
Cole Palmer’s Recent Form and International Break
Cole Palmer was originally called up to the England squad after showcasing impressive form with Chelsea. However, he has opted to sit out this international break in order to better manage his playing load. The 24-year-old winger has recorded four goals and two assists from seven appearances across all competitions this season. Last season was a challenging one for Palmer, where injuries limited him to 34 appearances, with 24 of those being starts in the Premier League.
Throughout his senior career with England, Palmer has netted two goals in 14 matches, with his last appearance for the Three Lions taking place during a game against Japan in March. Tuchel’s decision to recall Trent Alexander-Arnold and Palmer comes as part of his strategy to form a well-rounded squad for the upcoming clashes.
Rashford, Rice, and Mainoo’s Challenges
Rashford is grappling with a persistent hip injury that has sidelined him since the World Cup. He played until the 77th minute in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Fulham before being substituted. Mainoo also faces fitness issues; the 21-year-old midfielder played for 80 minutes at Craven Cottage but is not available for the national team setup.
Alongside these players, Livramento is ruled out due to discomfort experienced during training, missing Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Hull City last weekend. Rice, despite completing the full match against Brighton, is among the players who are unavailable for selection. The absence of these five key players means Tuchel will need to adjust his squad accordingly as England prepares for the Nations League.
Gibbs-White and Garner’s Inclusion
Gibbs-White was not initially included in the original England squad for the Nations League fixtures. However, after scoring in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool, he earned his call-up from Tuchel. He was somewhat of a surprise omission from England’s World Cup squad last year, but he has been performing well, concluding last season with 15 goals in the Premier League, and has now earned six caps for the national team.
His last appearance for England was as a substitute during a 3-0 victory over Wales in October of the previous year. After a family vacation in Dubai following his match with Coventry City, Gibbs-White has returned to the UK to join the training camp. Garner is also back in the squad after receiving two caps in March 2026, as he too was absent during the World Cup selection.
Upcoming Matches in the Nations League
England will engage in a series of four matches during the international break, which spans three weeks. Each match is crucial as part of the Nations League group stage. The Three Lions will kick off their campaign against Spain at Wembley on September 27. Following that, they will travel to Prague to face the Czech Republic on September 30. On October 3, England will clash with Croatia at HNK Rijeka Stadium, concluding the series with another match against the Czech Republic at home on October 7.
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