Alexander-Arnold omission ‘mind-boggling’ to RooneyImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s recent England appearance came against Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in June last yearPublished36 minutes agoFormer England captain Wayne Rooney says it is “mind-boggling” that Trent Alexander-Arnold was not included in Thomas Tuchel’s final squad before the head coach makes his World Cup selection.Alexander-Arnold has featured regularly for Real Madrid since recovering from a thigh problem in January but was overlooked for England’s friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March, despite Chelsea right-back Reece James being absent through injury.
Arsenal full-back Ben White started both those games, scoring England’s opener in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay.
“No disrespect to Ben White – I think he’s a fantastic player – but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Trent is mind-boggling,” Rooney stated on the Wayne Rooney Podcast.
Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa were all picked ahead of Alexander-Arnold in Tuchel’s 35-man selection for England’s final home friendlies before the World Cup.
The former Liverpool star, who has been left out of Tuchel’s last four squads, has not played for his country since appearing off the bench in a World Cup qualifying victory over Andorra in June last year.
However, Rooney’s ex-Everton team-mate Phil Jagielka feels Alexander-Arnold deserves a place in the squad for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
“I think he probably still makes it,” Jagielka stated. “You need your best players.
“If [Alexander-Arnold] proves he can play half as well as he played for most of his time at Liverpool, he’s definitely worth taking on the plane. If Reece James is fit, you put him in [at right-back].”
Rooney would also start James on the right side of defence this summer, despite calling the 26-year-old “unreliable” as a full-back.
“Reece James isn’t the most defensive,” Rooney stated. “In terms of the lads who are there, you wouldn’t say they’re the best defensively anyway, [any] of them.”
