Wayne Rooney, the former Manchester United striker, has shared his thoughts on the England squad selection for the upcoming World Cup 2026. According to Rooney, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer deserves a spot ahead of Noni Madueke, who currently plays for Arsenal.
During his appearance on The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC, the Manchester United legend argued that Palmer would be a more effective backup for Bukayo Saka than Madueke. Rooney believes Madueke has not been performing at a level that warrants his inclusion in the squad this season.
Rooney stated, “Cole Palmer has outperformed both Saka and Madueke in the 2025/26 season. I would have picked him, but that’s a decision the manager made. Looking at it, Arsenal haven’t done badly this season with Saka and Madueke as options, but Palmer should have been there.”
Thomas Tuchel, the England manager, explained his decision to exclude Palmer, citing a lack of individual form. Tuchel mentioned that Palmer has not been as influential as in previous seasons and has not made a significant impact when called up for national duty.
Tuchel said, “I believe Palmer suffered from a dip in form at Chelsea. He wasn’t as decisive or influential this season. Additionally, he wasn’t particularly effective when with us. His performance record with the national team was not enough to guarantee a spot. He had to withdraw multiple times due to injury, and when he was in camp, he didn’t deliver the impact we wanted.”
Since Tuchel took over in 2025, Palmer has failed to score in any of his three appearances and has missed a large portion of the World Cup qualifiers because of injuries.