Jarrod Bowen ripping his hair out over Emmanuel Petit's Bukayo Saka admission - verdict
Jarrod Bowen is being forced to watch the 2026 World Cup from his sofa after being left out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad.
It was a decision that raised a lot of eyebrows, especially when the likes of Tino Livramento, Jordan Henderson and Eberechi Eze were given spots on the plane.
Of course, it was an incredibly tough task for the Three Lions' head coach to choose his 26-man squad. But, ultimately, the blame will fall on him if everything comes tumbling down this summer.
And after notching 11 goals and 12 assists in a difficult campaign at the London Stadium, West Ham fans were dumbfounded to see Bowen snubbed completely.
The 29-year-old is running out of chances to star properly on the international stage, and after being picked during the March international break, it seemed inevitable that he would go.
Instead, the dangerous winger has been left at home once again, with the main coverage currently about whether Bukayo Saka is fit enough for the Three Lions' group stage matches.
Emmanuel Petit drops bombshell Bukayo Saka admission
Saka managed 27 minutes against Costa Rica last week after Arsenal players were given an extra rest. But now, it is believed that he can't manage a full 90 minutes.
The only other natural option on the right flank is his club teammate Noni Madueke, who notched just four goal contributions in the Premier League in 2025-26.
So, why not take Bowen? Well, Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit's recent comments would certainly suggest that having the Hammers star in the squad would have been worthwhile.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (16 June, 8:35am), Petit said: "Saka, for me, is not coming out of a good season with Arsenal. We saw that in the Champions League final.
"He doesn't make an impact anymore, and I think that there are other players who deserve to be picked in the starting lineup.
"I'm a huge, huge fan of Saka, but I've got to be honest. If I'm his teammate, I don't understand it. There are so many strong and talented players who are better than Saka."
Who could start in England vs Croatia?
With Bowen not in the squad, and doubts over Saka's fitness, Tuchel has some very difficult decisions to make across the field, not just on the wing.
John Stones is expected to start, despite his injury woes, meaning that one of Marc Guehi or Ezri Konsa are likely to miss out on the Three Lions' World Cup opener.
Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will be expected to form the base of midfield, with Nico O'Reilly and Reece James occupying the full-back spots.
The No.10 role is probably the most heavily-debated position, though, with Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham fighting to start against Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June.
It is a huge shame that West Ham are not being represented on the international stage by England, and it could have consequences for Bowen's future at the London Stadium.