The latest England squad announcement has brought contrasting emotions for two of Real Madrid’s biggest stars, with Jude Bellingham receiving a call-up while Trent Alexander-Arnold has been left out.

England manager Thomas Tuchel unveiled his squad for the March international break, and his decisions have immediately sparked discussion, particularly regarding the omission of one of the most high-profile right-backs in world football.

For Alexander-Arnold, injuries and inconsistent form have limited his impact since arriving, disrupting his rhythm at a crucial stage of the season. 

No place for TAA

Although the English defender has seen more action in recent weeks, featuring in nine of Real Madrid’s last ten matches and starting five of the last six, it was not enough to secure a place in the squad.

Addressing the decision, Tuchel acknowledged the difficulty of leaving out a player of Alexander-Arnold’s calibre, while explaining the reasoning behind his selection.

“I know that it’s a tough decision for Trent, as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw. These tough decisions come with the job.

“It’s a sporting decision that we stick with Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence, who can play for us at right-back.

“I know it’s a tough one, I know it’s a big name. He’s a huge talent with a big career.

“The right-backs we have offer slightly different profiles (to Alexander-Arnold), the evidence is that we were better in September-November than anything from Trent.

“I played many times against him and suffered many times when he played against my teams. I know very well his strengths and what he can give.”

What about Bellingham?

While Alexander-Arnold faces disappointment, the situation is more positive for Bellingham, albeit with caution.

The midfielder has been sidelined since early February due to a muscle issue, but has now returned to training. 

Tuchel confirmed that all parties, including Real Madrid, were aligned in ensuring the player joins the national team setup, primarily to continue his recovery in a controlled environment.

Providing clarity on Bellingham’s situation, Tuchel explained the approach being taken to manage his fitness carefully.

“Everyone had the same interest, which is not always the case; I wanted Jude to be in camp, Jude wanted to be in camp and Real Madrid were happy for him to come to camp.

“We can provide team training for him, which would be a bit difficult at Real Madrid because of the international break.

“All boxes are ticked — it was very important to get the expectations right about Jude in this camp. We will continue his progress and integration into team training.

“We will be very careful on not taking any risks with Jude regarding the risk of re-injury. It’s very rare for him to have a muscle injury, so we will be very careful with it.

“The best case scenario is that he gets some minutes against Japan and we will adapt from day to day,” he explained.

Source: The Athletic