‘I probably question some of them’ - Kyle Walker voices concern about Tuchel's World Cup squad

The decision to drop Harry Maguire stands as one of the most significant calls of Tuchel's tenure. 

The veteran centre-back, a mainstay in the England setup for nearly a decade, was reportedly "shocked and gutted" after being left out despite making 25 appearances for Manchester United this season. 

Walker supported his former international teammate, arguing that both Maguire and Shaw had earned their spots.

Speaking at a World Cup preview event hosted by The Sun, the former Manchester City and Tottenham star expressed surprise at the absence of Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Manchester United's Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire from the 2026 squad.

Walker raised questions about the stability of the current backline, pointing out that several chosen players are either battling for form or recovering from injuries. 

"The defence... I do think there’s a lot there that have probably not played too great or who are carrying injuries that, can you completely rely on for the stretch of the tournament?" he said. "That’s where I probably question some of them, but I’m not the manager."

"Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have probably had the best seasons for Manchester United in a long time and are now not at the tournament," Walker stated. 

"I do think Luke Shaw, for me, should have been on the plane and I do think Harry Maguire should have been on the plane." 

Walker also championed the case for Morgan Gibbs-White, calling his exclusion a major loss for the Three Lions. "I probably would have taken Morgan Gibbs-White. He’s been fantastic for Forest," he insisted. 

The Forest midfielder, who scored 18 goals in an impressive campaign, has publicly shared his own disappointment, speculating that he had "got on the wrong side of someone’s opinion".