Reece James was handed a call up to the England squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

Thomas Tuchel stated he sees Reece James as a fullback rather than a midfielder, although warned he has to prove he’s fit enough to play there.James was named in Tuchel’s first England squad for

England manager, Thomas Tuchel has hinted he disagreed with Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca’s belief that Reece James can do well as a central midfielder. Maresca recently said he sees James as a ‘midfielder.

Tuchel was appointed England manager in October after Lee Carsley held the fort following Gareth Southgate’s departure. The former Chelsea boss was handed an 18-month contract and took the reins at the start of January, with his primary focus centred around winning the 2026 World Cup.

Thomas Tuchel's decision to select Jordan Henderson instead of midfielders who have been in exceptional form for their clubs has been met with criticism by Chris Sutton

Follow live reaction and analysis as new manager England Thomas Tuchel explains his first squad ahead of two 2026 World Cup qualifiers this month

The new head coach wants his team to play like a Premier League club - will that work in modern international football?

Arsenal defender Ben White "wants to be back" in the England squad, according to Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel. The 27-year-old has not been involved with England since leaving the camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons.

Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Ben White was available for selection in his first England squad but was left out as he continues to build match fitness after a prolonged spell on the sidelines.Photo