England's Tuchel Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of Spain Clash

Ahead of their opening UEFA Nations League fixture against Spain at Wembley on September 26, 2026, five players have withdrawn from the England national team due to injuries. The players affected are Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Tino Livramento.

The Football Association confirmed these withdrawals, which prompted England manager Thomas Tuchel to make adjustments to his squad. Rice, a 27-year-old midfielder from Arsenal, was a key player in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and was expected to contribute significantly to the Nations League campaign.

Palmer, a Chelsea forward, was returning to the squad for the first time since the World Cup but is now sidelined. Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, also misses out.

Mainoo, a Manchester United midfielder, and Livramento, a Newcastle United defender, complete the list of absentees. In response, Tuchel has called up Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Everton's James Garner to join the squad.