Palmer launches ice brand, Foden goes fishing: England's biggest omissions fill their World Cup summers

Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Harry Maguire arrived at the 2026 World Cup summer as three of England’s most high-profile absentees, each omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s squad despite their experience with the Three Lions. While England have progressed unbeaten to within one game of the quarter-finals, the snubbed trio have been finding their own ways to fill the weeks.

Cole Palmer

Palmer was widely considered the most shocking exclusion from Tuchel’s squad, but the Chelsea forward has taken a pragmatic view of his extended break. Speaking to iD magazine, he said: “I’m not crying over a decision you can’t change, and I hope the lads make it all the way. I’m going to relax this summer, rest for the first time in three or four years, before getting back to what I love.”

Palmer has also used the time to launch a business venture — ‘COLE’D’, a line of premium ice products created in partnership with Gopuff. Away from commerce, he has been holidaying with girlfriend Olivia Holder, with trips to Ibiza, Turkey and the south of France documented across his social media.

Phil Foden

The Manchester City midfielder has kept one eye firmly on next season, posting a training compilation on Instagram showing on-pitch drills as he prepares for the 2026/27 campaign. The 26-year-old also indulged his well-known love of fishing, posing with a friend and their sizeable catches at Norton Disney fishing lake in Lincolnshire.

Foden made headlines away from football when he attended Tommy Fury’s boxing match against Eddie Hall, where adult content creator Lily Phillips approached him for a selfie before his girlfriend, Rebecca Cooke, intervened. He and Rebecca subsequently travelled to Disneyland Paris to celebrate Father’s Day, and have since enjoyed beach time with their three children.

Harry Maguire

The Manchester United defender made no secret of his frustration at being left out, taking to social media to express his disappointment publicly. Maguire wrote that he had been confident he could have played a significant role for his country this summer — a pointed message directed at Tuchel’s selection.

England’s unbeaten run without the trio will do little to ease those frustrations, though Tuchel has yet to settle on a consistent starting line-up, leaving open questions about whether the creativity of Palmer and Foden, or Maguire’s aerial presence, might still have value to the squad.