Thomas Tuchel has stated that Cole Palmer misses too many opportunities to represent England because of frequent injury-related withdrawals. The manager’s comments follow Palmer’s decision to pull out of the September 2026 international squad.
Palmer has made three appearances for England since Tuchel took charge of the team in January 2025. Reports indicate that the midfielder has been playing for Chelsea while experiencing discomfort and pain.
Palmer is currently abroad, where he is following an injury-specific training programme under the supervision of a Chelsea rehabilitation coach.
The September 2026 squad also saw withdrawals from Declan Rice, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford, and Kobbie Mainoo, all of whom cited injury as the reason for their absence.