Why isn’t Trent Alexander-Arnold playing in England’s World Cup clash against Mexico?

England made it through to the 2026 World Cup knockout stage in spite of issues affecting the right-back position. Both Reece James and Jarell Quansah suffered injuries during the opening phase.

Djed Spence filled the slot in Wednesday’s round of 32 tie against DR Congo and Declan Rice had to drop back to cover for the last 20 minutes of the game when the Spurs defender was taken off.

Given the problems which England have had to deal with, many have questioned Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his World Cup squad.

The Real Madrid defender was one of several high-profile omissions, alongside Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.

Trent’s tough adaptation to life in LaLiga

Alexander-Arnold was in and out of the Real Madrid team during his first season in Spain, mirroring his England career trajectory in recent years. Despite his undoubted ability on the ball, questions about his defensive awareness and tactical discipline, both essential qualities for a right back, continue to follow him.

The 27-year-old’s omission from the final roster was not a huge surprise. Alexander-Arnold was not included in Tuchel’s 55-player preliminary squad, and he has not played for England since June 2025.

The former Liverpool defender was regularly overlooked for a place in the starting lineup by Gareth Southgate, Tuchel’s predecessor, although he did begin Euro 2024 in midfield, an experiment widely viewed as unsuccessful.

Tuchel’s “team-first” philosophy

“From day one we were clear we were trying to build the best possible team, which is not necessarily the 26 most talented players,” Tuchel explained after announcing his World Cup roster.

“Teams win championships, and what we’re trying to achieve can only be achieved as a team,” the German continued. “We have players ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish.”

“We have specialists for different scenarios, when we’re leading, when we’re chasing a result. We have always said we want to be a strong set-piece team, so we have specialists for that, and we want to be a strong penalty team, we have specialists for that.”

Difficult decisions on England’s biggest stars

Although the former Chelsea coach did not mention Alexander-Arnold individually, he suggested leaving out one of England’s most gifted technical players was one of the toughest parts of selecting his squad.

“I’m very confident in the group we chose,” Tuchel said. “Very difficult decisions. Painful conversations. Difficult to explain to the players. But what we try to achieve we achieve as a team.

“If everyone is selected, it’s a given we have to leave some extraordinary players and extraordinary personalities at home.”

England vs Mexico: kickoff times, how to watch in the U.S.

In the 2026 World Cup round of 16, England take on Mexico today, Sunday, July 5, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 a.m. PT.

Played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, CDMX, the knockout game will be available for U.S. viewers to watch on FOX Network, FOX 1 and fubo. Spanish commentary is available on Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo and Peacock. You’ll also be able to follow live-text commentary of the action right here at AS USA.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.