Tuchel admits Alexander-Arnold exile was 'unfair' as Real Madrid star earns England recall

Thomas Tuchel has admitted that his handling of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s England absence was “unfair” — though not, in his view, unjustified — as the Real Madrid midfielder earns a surprise recall to the Three Lions squad for the upcoming international break.

Alexander-Arnold has featured just once under the German coach since Tuchel’s appointment in October 2024, a 26-minute substitute appearance against Andorra. He was subsequently left out of every squad until his unexpected inclusion this window.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Tuchel explained the reasoning behind both the exile and the recall. “Was it always fair? Maybe not from my side,” he said. “We were suddenly flying and we stuck to the same squad in October and that was it for him. There was never a chance for him to come back. I just trusted the guys who were in camp.”

Tuchel also invoked a message from Jordan Henderson as emblematic of the attitude he demands from his players. “Henderson said it so impressively well before the match against France — you just never know when your next England match is coming, so guys, this is it. You play with the fullest, you show up with the right attitude and you give it all.”

The England manager was keen to frame Alexander-Arnold’s recall not as a personal gesture but as part of a broader standard applied to every player entering camp. “It’s not even a shout-out to Trent, it’s a shout-out to everyone,” Tuchel said. “You don’t come to relax. You don’t come to take a break. You come to perform. The guys who come new into camp — we demand the highest of them. It includes Trent but it’s not exclusively for him.”

Alexander-Arnold has earned 34 caps for England since his debut under Gareth Southgate in 2018, scoring four goals in that time. His international return follows a difficult debut season at Real Madrid, where he made 35 appearances under Carlo Ancelotti. He has made three starts this term under new Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho.