Scott 6/1 for England World Cup squad as race for places intensifies

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has seen his odds of being included in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup drop to 6/1 after head coach Thomas Tuchel stated Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane cannot all play together.

Tuchel comments open doors for fringe players

The current England gaffer Tuchel stirred up controversy earlier this week when he claimed that the trio of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane could not play together in his system.

Both Real Madrid starlet Bellingham and Manchester City talent Foden had been left out of Tuchel's Three Lions squad for the international friendly with Wales and World Cup qualifiers against Latvia back in October. However, both have been recalled for the upcoming World Cup qualification games against Serbia and Albania.

Tuchel has already commented that Bellingham is in direct competition with Foden and Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers for the number 10 role in his current setup for the national side.

The 4-3-3 formation has Kane in the striker role with two out-and-out wingers on either side. At the moment, the likes of Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and Marcus Rashford are being favoured to compete for those positions.

England are not short of options to compete for the number 10 role. On top of Bellingham, Foden, and Rogers, there are also the injured Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jack Grealish, and the recently called-up Scott.

Why Scott and why now?

The decision to call up Scott to the England squad now feels a little bit of a left-field one. The 22-year-old has been in impressive form for the Cherries this season. It's clear his performances have improved under the management of Andoni Iraola. However, he's not really been in the England discussion since Tuchel came into the role.

One thing Scott offers England is versatility. The former Bristol City midfielder has spent large periods of his recent years filling in as a right wing back for his club. He has also been used in both the number 8 and number 10 roles for Bournemouth this season.

It's also easy to forget that Scott is still a very young player with room to grow. He was a part of both the England under-19 squad that won the 2022 European under-19 Championship and the England under-21 squad that won the 2025 European under-21 Championship.

Outsiders out of contention?

It's probably fair to assume that any players who aren't being selected for the England squad now are not truly being considered for Tuchel's World Cup squad next summer.

Scott appears to offer the best chance of gatecrashing the squad selection party. However, is it too late for a few familiar faces who have graced the national team jersey or been in contention to earn a cap in recent years?

In the latest England World Cup selection odds market, you can find Harvey Elliott at 13/2, Mason Mount at 8/1, Kobbie Mainoo at 8/1, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at 12/1.