The former Brentford striker is currently playing for Al-Ahli Saudi FC with his call-up causing some surprise in England
Thomas Tuchel announced his 26-man England squad for the 2026 World Cup on Friday which includes striker Ivan Toney, who has been plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli for the last two seasons.
Any England squad announcement for a major tournament leads to endless questioning and criticism from pundits and fans alike, and this time it is no different for the German coach. From not calling up Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Harry Maguire, to selecting veteran Jordan Henderson over Adam Wharton, the fierce debates have already started and will roll on long into the summer.
Toney’s appearance on the 26-man list is another topic that has generated discussion. His departure from Brentford in 2024 to join Al-Ahli led many to think that Toney’s England career was over, due to the less competitive nature of the Saudi Pro League.
Indeed, since leaving the Premier League on the back of Euro 2024 where he appeared in three of the matches, Toney has played just two minutes for the national team – in a friendly against Senegal last June.
“Teams win championships.”
Thomas Tuchel on the need for “balance” in his 26-man World Cup squad, as discusses why he left out several high-profile names 🏴 pic.twitter.com/Qu4hTLD77K
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 22, 2026
The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Welbeck – who have scored 14 and 13 goals respectively in the Premier League – were widely tipped for the role of third striker behind Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins.
However, Tuchel eventually went with Toney, who has scored 32 goals in 32 Saudi Pro League matches this season. After the squad announcement, Tuchel revealed that the advice from former colleague Matthias Jaissle – the head coach at Al-Ahli – was a key factor in making the decision.
“I had fantastic feedback from his club coach [Matthias Jaissle], who was my player, about his role there, about his ability, about his fitness,” Tuchel said at the squad announcement.
“We could see that he still collects the numbers. I think he has very special skills that could help us, meaning the scenario when we are chasing a result, when we’re chasing a goal, I think he can be a very valuable addition to Harry Kane.”
Tuchel also highlighted Toney’s penalty-taking quality as a factor. In the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland, Toney came off the bench to score a penalty in the decisive shootout as England won 6-4, an area in which the Three Lions have notoriously struggled in major tournaments.
“He has a natural presence within the box. He’s a natural finisher. He can help us with set pieces,” he said.
“He’s very strong and very good in using his body. And not to forget, he’s a world-class penalty taker.”
