England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted he cannot argue against the suggestion that Cole Palmer does not appear desperate to represent his country, after the Chelsea forward withdrew from the national squad through injury for the second time since Tuchel took charge.
Another camp missed
Palmer was a contentious omission from England’s World Cup squad over the summer after an injury-disrupted season affected his form. Following a rest during the off-season, he appeared to be rediscovering his best level in the opening weeks of this campaign, contributing to six goals in seven appearances for Chelsea. That form earned him a recall for the Nations League fixtures against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia, only for Palmer to withdraw once again through injury.
It marks the second time Palmer has been called up to the England squad and subsequently pulled out with a fitness issue since Tuchel’s appointment at the start of 2025. He has also missed three entire camps through injury and was left out of another altogether.
Tuchel struggles to defend Palmer
Put to him directly that Palmer does not seem desperate to play for England, Tuchel conceded it was difficult to argue otherwise. Asked where that leaves his squad, he pointed to Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze as players who are fully committed, available and ready to contribute, even citing an example of one player cutting a holiday short to rejoin the group.
Tuchel said he can only judge Palmer on what he delivers for the national team, adding that the forward is simply missing too many opportunities. He stressed that every situation is treated individually and that he continues to trust his players by default, pointing out that others managing discomfort, including Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, have still shown up and performed well for England in the past.
‘Too many missed opportunities’
Tuchel had earlier described Palmer’s latest withdrawal as another missed opportunity, saying he does not blame the player personally but that it remains simply a fact that he misses far too many camps through injury. He explained that he can only rely on what he witnesses directly within the squad environment, meaning a player who is absent cannot reach the next level of trust that comes from training and competing alongside the group.
According to the England camp, Chelsea informed Tuchel’s staff that Palmer is playing through discomfort and pain that prevents him from performing at the highest level, with Tuchel rejecting any suggestion that this represents deliberate workload management. He insisted that international camps under his management are treated as a genuinely competitive environment rather than a break, and said he will always prioritise players who are fully committed to representing England.
A closer look at Palmer’s record under Tuchel
Since Tuchel took over, Palmer has been called up on eight occasions but has featured in only two of those camps. He was withdrawn injured before a camp in March 2025, played away against Andorra in May 2025, then missed camps in August, October and November 2025 due to fitness issues. He returned to feature against Uruguay and Japan in March 2026, was available but unselected for the World Cup in May, and has now withdrawn again in September 2026 after being named in the squad.
Analysis: Patience wearing thin?
There is a growing sense that Tuchel’s patience with Palmer may be running out, given how rarely the forward has featured for England despite an almost ever-present role for Chelsea this season, having started every game bar one domestically. The message from the England camp appears clear: players who are not present cannot impress the manager, which opens the door for others to stake their claim in the number 10 role, including Bellingham, Rogers and Gibbs-White.
There is also a contrast drawn with previous situations, such as Bellingham’s own rocky period with Tuchel, when the midfielder still joined up on international duty despite carrying an injury, a gesture that reportedly went some way to repairing his relationship with the manager.
Kane backs the group amid withdrawals
Palmer is one of five players to have withdrawn from Tuchel’s original squad, alongside Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento. England captain Harry Kane, asked whether he was concerned about players’ commitment to international duty at this stage of the season, said every player is extremely proud to represent England but that individual physical and personal circumstances are matters for players and coaches to work through together. He acknowledged the upcoming schedule of four matches in eleven days will be demanding, but said the training standards shown by the squad so far this week have been excellent.
Quick Facts
- Cole Palmer has withdrawn from the England squad injured for the second time under Thomas Tuchel.
- Palmer has featured in just two of eight England camps since Tuchel’s appointment in early 2025.
- Tuchel said he cannot argue against suggestions Palmer lacks desperation to play for his country.
- Palmer contributed to six goals in seven Chelsea appearances before the international break.
- Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento also withdrew from the original squad.
- England open their Nations League campaign against Spain on Saturday at 7:45pm UK time.
England’s Nations League opener against Spain kicks off at 9:45pm East Africa Time on Saturday, with fans across Kenya and the region able to follow the action along with the rest of the group stage live on DStv SuperSport.
