Tuchel says door still open to England's World Cup squad

LONDON :England head coach Thomas Tuchel says the door is still open for those hoping to make a late run for his World Cup squad despite disappointment for several players on Friday.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Manchester City's Phil Foden returned to the 25-man squad named for the final qualifiers against Serbia and Albania next week.

But there was not such good news for others with Everton's Jack Grealish, Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly amongst the notable absentees.

There was also no place for the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Morgan Gibbs-White and time is running out to impress the German who will have one more squad to pick in March before then naming his World Cup selection in May.

But the German insisted the door was still open when addressing the media on Friday, even if admitting he has a "settled mind" about the squad he will take to North America.

"I will also be open because I know anything can happen. You don't wish for injuries but it can happen in short notice," he said. "My thoughts now are more for the camps for September, October and November. But my thoughts for the World Cup will then start after this camp and the qualification phase is over.

"This was an important cycle for me and this is the third part of the cycle, so it's not finished. This is where all the attention goes now. Then comes the March camp.

"I think it's important for me to reconnect after these three camps with all 55 to 60 players on the long list and be in close contact and see them, meet them and text them."

England are yet to confirm which teams they will play in friendlies in March and that could largely depend on who Tuchel's side are drawn with for the World Cup group stage.

"We will have the