Thomas Tuchel has issued a harsh World Cup warning to Phil Foden. The German confessed that Foden is “not guaranteed” a spot in England’s squad as he is visibly “struggling” on the pitch. Manchester City forward Foden is at serious risk of being the most notable omission this summer due to his lack of form for both club and country. Foden, 25, who has earned 49 caps, started England’s final Wembley warm-up friendlies against Uruguay and Japan but was replaced before the 60-minute mark in both matches.

England manager Tuchel maintains that Foden was outstanding in training and in camp but conceded that he failed to meet expectations on the pitch. Tuchel said: “He tried everything. I would say he was excellent in camp but, yeah, he struggles to show it on the pitch. Obviously he didn’t have a lot of minutes for City recently. Then he came to camp with the brightest smile and was so good in training and I thought he will just surprise us and will play with the same verve and excitement but, yeah, he struggles to have the full impact.”

Tuchel was then questioned whether he can actually select a player for the World Cup who is struggling on the field. “I can, I can! The question will be if we will,” the manager replied. That clearly casts significant doubt on Foden’s inclusion and Tuchel confessed: “Well, it’s not a guarantee that he will come.”

Foden attended Euro 2024 following the season of his life but failed to deliver his best performances and since then has grappled with form and fitness. He has featured in 26 Premier League matches for City this season – including five from the bench – and has seven goals and three assists.

However, Foden is no longer a certain starter at City and is also facing substantial competition for England, with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer all vying for the No.10 role. Eberechi Eze is another who could slot into that role.

It appears inevitable that Tuchel will have to exclude at least one of the prominent names from his squad this summer – and progressively it seems Foden is most vulnerable. Tuchel says that he has gained important insights from the two friendlies – despite failing to secure victory in either and suffering defeat to Japan.

Tuchel added: “I learn all the time. I learn from every training session and I learn from how the squad is together and I learn from the players’ reaction to the game plan and how they adapt.

“How quick they can learn and how quick they can adapt and how they can put it on the pitch. Everything is a learning.” Tuchel maintains he still “100 percent believes” in his England squad despite their harsh reality check.

England are among the bookmakers’ favourites to win the World Cup and are the fourth seeds in the tournament’s tennis-style draw system. Yet England were brought crashing back down to earth in their final Wembley warm-up friendlies with Uruguay and Japan which sparked some serious concerns.

England appear to be half a team without Harry Kane. There was no Bellingham to rescue them. They have yet to beat a top-20 team under Tuchel. The stalemate with Uruguay was uninspiring. The loss to Japan served as a serious reality check.

However, despite the two sobering outcomes, Tuchel maintains his unwavering faith in his squad. England boasted a flawless qualifying record, conceding no goals. Tuchel stated: “I’m still believing 100 per cent. Like I said, I knew we will have a tough exam, and sometimes it is better to have a tough exam than another win and we’re not so 100 per cent sure. We will not start doubting now.

“It is difficult also for the players to come to camp, then they hear my voice for the first time, see our principles for the first time, have an offensive session, defensive session, and then go and show in Wembley. Not easy.

“We will put this into perspective, but on the other side, we have built something in September, October and November, and we will rely on that. We opened the doors again, to see players, to give them the chance, to have a full impression and not only from the tribune.

“So to feel the players, have them in training, see what they are capable of, see what they are struggling with, and then learn from there, take the consequences, and build a team for June.”

Tuchel’s divided squad – selecting 35 players for the two matches and giving 11 of them the first week off – was intended to provide them with a rest and also introduce some new faces. Everton’s James Garner shone against Uruguay. Harry Maguire significantly boosted his reputation.

Marcus Rashford also emerged as a major victor, performing well in the first match and making a difference when he came on against Japan. Ben White was both hero and villain against Uruguay and, despite struggling against Japan, it no longer seems impossible for him to make the World Cup squad.

Dom Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin likely feel they could have done more to stake their claim as Kane’s back-up. Perhaps there’s still an opportunity for Ollie Watkins.

So, Tuchel’s March camp was ultimately a mixed bag, and he confessed that his greatest disappointment was not securing a victorious send-off but maintains they will keep their spirits high.

“Like I said, we will not let go of our dream, not let go of the question ‘Why not?'” Tuchel declared. “Now the most crucial thing is that the players rejoin their clubs, finish the season strongly, and then we have them in pre-camp and prepare them properly and take steps from there.”

The most significant threat now to England’s chances is undoubtedly player burnout. Too many matches, coupled with the demands of the Premier League, resulted in the likes of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice withdrawing due to injuries.

But Tuchel says he has a strategy to ensure that the players will begin the World Cup feeling fresh as he wants the pre-camp in Florida – which features friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica – to feel like a mini break with families welcomed in. Tuchel added: “They will get a week off, the guys who are not involved in the Champions League final.

“And then we will go very early to the US, earlier than maybe other teams. But we will go there to prepare us for the heat and the humidity. But we will have an early camp also that allows us a good mix between free time and also family-friends time, and football, to arrive with excitement when the tournament starts.

“The season is a long, long season this year for the players, because some of them come from the Club World Cup, and it will not end in the end of May. It will end, hopefully, in the middle of July. And we will take this into account.”