Matt Le Tissier drops verdict on Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham’s England recalls
Thomas Tuchel was right to recall both Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham to the England squad after respective absences due to their star quality that can change a game in an instant.
That is according to Premier League legend and former England international Matt Le Tissier, who has exclusively told Football Insider that there should be no question that both players go to the World Cup with the Three Lions next year.
England qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the last international break and are now heading into their final round of group games against Serbia and Albania.
Thomas Tuchel named his Three Lions squad last week, with recalls for Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham the major headlines.
Neither player has featured for their country since the new season started, with the Real Madrid star struggling with injuries until now and Foden massively out of form before his recent Man City revival.
Foden and Bellingham are back in the England fold and rated highly by Thomas Tuchel
Foden’s last England cap came back in March during a 3-0 win against Latvia, as he was left out of the June fixtures for personal reasons then was simply not selected by Tuchel in September or October.
The Man City star has returned to form since the start of this campaign, with seven goals and four assists in 18 appearances so far to help them into second place in the Premier League.
Bellingham, meanwhile, last played for the Three Lions in a June friendly loss against Senegal before missing out of September’s qualifiers through injury and only returning to action a week before the last round of games.
Tuchel was pleased to welcome both of his big-name stars back into the fold last week as he said: “They play regularly and play a big role in the success of Real Madrid and Manchester City.
“They’ve scored decisive goals regularly. We are delighted they are in form and back with us.”
Le Tissier is pleased to see Foden and Bellingham
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier insisted that Tuchel was right to call both players back into the national team squad and they should both go to the World Cup next year providing they are fit.
He said: “I mean, as long as Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are playing somewhere near their potential, I don’t think there’s any question that they should be in the England squad.
“I think obviously injuries played a part in the decision to leave Jude out of the last squad, but I don’t think there’s any question that he is ever going to be left out of the World Cup squad.
“We don’t have the strength and depth to be able to leave out a player of that quality, and the same with Foden.
“Although you can argue he probably hasn’t produced his best form for England, I’d still want him in a squad at a World Cup as a player who can change a game, who can do something a little bit different.
“You need a few of those players to be there in that squad because, when you get to that level of football, it can take just one bit of magic to win a football match, and you need as many of those players in your squad as you can to try and produce that bit of magic.”