BBC Sport's Phil McNulty has released his 26-man England World Cup squad, sparking debate. Head coach Thomas Tuchel must trim the 35-man friendlies squad to 26 before England's June 17 opener against Croatia. McNulty's selections include Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson in goal, with Reece James and Ezri Konsa as first-choice defenders.

However, he controversially omits Harry Maguire in favor of Nico O'Reilly and Marc Guehi, despite Maguire's recent return to form. McNulty also chooses Cole Palmer over Phil Foden for his World Cup X-factor, despite Foden's club struggles. The biggest dilemma centers on Kane's understudy: McNulty opts for Danny Welbeck, citing his Premier League goalscoring form and experience, despite his limited recent international play.

This contrasts with Tuchel's likely selection of Jordan Henderson as leader.