England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed the influence of captain Harry Kane on one of the surprise inclusions in his squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The Three Lions manager announced his 26-man World Cup squad on Friday after a series of omissions were leaked to the media, with the selection of former Brentford striker Ivan Toney being one of the more surprising decisions.
Kane and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins will be joined in the attacking department by the Al-Ahly player, who was last called up to the national team in last year’s friendly, where England were defeated by Senegal at the City Ground.
Toney, 30, had not been selected for any internationals since his last England engagement, having reportedly failed to meet Tuchel’s expectations in training during a training camp in Spain.
According to the coach, Toney’s profile and skills offer England something they don’t have otherwise, and the national team captain also had an influence on this decision.
Toney, a former Newcastle striker, joined Saudi club Al-Ahli from Brentford in 2024 after a turbulent end to his spell in west London. He has made seven appearances for England since making his debut in 2023, scoring once.
“His name kept coming up. Because he has presence. Harry (Kane) likes to play with him because he thinks he takes the attention away from himself,” Tuchel said.
Tuchel confirmed that he does not see Toney as a starter for England, with captain Kane remaining the clear choice in a preferred system with a single striker, but revealed that he has received a very good report on Toney from Matthias Jaissle, his German compatriot who is the striker’s coach at Al-Ahli.
