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The England manager declared that assembling the highest-profile footballers does not guarantee building the most effective squad dynamic. Tuchel suggested regardless of whether the Real Madrid midfielder were fully fit following his shoulder problem, the player could still have been omitted from the recent England squad.

Emphasis on Squad Harmony

The Three Lions' manager further revealed that the Arsenal winger's recall may not have happened if his teammate Noni Madueke been available. Tuchel has placed great importance on team cohesion in his selection for the forthcoming friendly against Wales and World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

"We're building the strongest squad," stated Tuchel, who questioned the traditional thinking that World Cup winners typically choose their top forwards.

Previous Results

Tuchel pointed to the excellent atmosphere in the previous international break where the national team beat Andorra and excelled against the Serbian team without Bellingham. He saw no reason to change the group dynamic that produced those impressive performances.

• Jude Bellingham excluded despite club comeback
• Foden not included despite resurgence
• Jack Grealish also missed out

Fitness Considerations

While Tuchel partially explained Bellingham's exclusion to fitness concerns, he acknowledged that the player desired selection when they spoke. Tuchel had previously said sorry to the midfielder for remarks regarding his playing behavior.

"Would you agree that attitude from substitutes, commitment in sessions, and team togetherness allows the first team to play at their best?" he questioned.

Squad Selection Justification

Tuchel emphasized that his selections weren't individual targeting specific individuals but rather rewarded those who had performed during the previous campaign.

"How would I justify dropping them and still be authentic in my words?" Tuchel asked.

Necessary Adjustments

The only change in selection was compulsory with injured Noni Madueke being replaced by the recovered Bukayo Saka. Tuchel clarified that even Saka could have been excluded had Madueke stayed healthy.

Other absentees included Chelsea's attacking midfielder, who continues to struggle with injury problems. Given just two additional gatherings prior to the tournament, time is running out for certain individuals to prove themselves.

World Cup Scheduling Concerns

The manager revealed his preference for national team matches to start later because of temperature worries across the host nations. Tuchel recognized this would create watching problems for UK supporters but insisted athlete protection remains the priority.

"I know the fans won't be happy but for the team it's better with later kickoffs," he stated. "The players are the game and we must safeguard them."