Coach Thomas Tuchel sparked controversy after confirming that Phil Foden is not guaranteed a spot in England's squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite his status as one of the brightest stars in English football.

The German coach's comments for the Three Lions came after the recent international break, which witnessed an unconvincing performance from the team.

Tuchel explained that Foden failed to make a clear impact during the friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan, despite starting in both games and being tried in more than one attacking role.

He pointed out that the player shows good levels in training but struggles to translate that into matches.

The coach also linked Foden's decline in performance to his limited participation with his club Manchester City recently, where he hasn't received enough minutes and hasn't scored for a while, reflecting on his international readiness. He confirmed that the competition for attacking midfield positions has become very fierce within the team.

With strong names like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer among others, Tuchel emphasized that the final squad selection will depend on readiness and performance, affirming that the door remains open for Foden, but his place in the World Cup is "not guaranteed at all."