Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

William: Ivan Toney plays in a league that is well below Premier League standard, how on earth does he get ahead of Gibbs-White?

Phil: I was shocked by Ivan Toney’s selection as he has not been near an England squad for a year, when he was only used as a substitute for two minutes when they lost to Senegal in a friendly.

I think this is the consequence of Tuchel’s search for an understudy to Harry Kane, with alternatives thin on the ground, but he seems to have picked two in Toney and Ollie Watkins.

I would have picked Watkins and then thought about someone like Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton on maybe Alex Scott from Bournemouth.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Pete: Do you think Morgan Gibbs White would have been selected if he had the same stats but had played for (say) Arsenal and not Nottingham Forest ?

Phil: Hi Pete. I’m not sure Thomas Tuchel thinks like that because he absolutely does not operate a star system or play favourites. Where it might have made a difference would have been the ability to see Morgan Gibbs-White playing at elite level in the Champions League.

I am not particularly fussed by Phil Foden and Cole Palmer being left out, but once you do that, I would have been very tempted to pick Gibbs-White. I also feel Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Alex Scott from Bournemouth would also have been in my thinking.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United's Tino Livramento or Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold?

Livramento will travel with the England squad for the World Cup while TAA misses out.

You know the drill - thumbs up if you agree or thumbs down if you don't.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Johnny: Left-backs look an issue to me. Spence and O’Reilly up against a Spain or a France would be a concern. I’ve still got Spain as my pick.

Phil: Wouldn’t argue with your pick, Johnny. I agree left-back is a bit of a conundrum for England but I imagine Tuchel will go with Nico O’Reilly. Inexperienced at this level but very, very talented defensively and also a goal threat.

Nedum Onuoha
Former Manchester City defender

I think personally with for how good Djed Spence is, I don’t think England win a World Cup with him starting. But I think in certain scenarios where England could face I think he could absolutely make a difference. It’s about the squad, and you’ll have a starting eleven, five or six players who will be used as subs and then a bunch of players who will be essentially training for six weeks.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

James: What does Djed Spence bring that Trent Alexander-Arnold doesn't? A player battling relegation versus someone playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Phil: My honest answer, James? Nothing.

I have long been resigned to the fact Thomas Tuchel would not pick Alexander-Arnold so, in general terms, this was not a shock.

Tuchel has his reasons, but I struggle to see any way in which Djed Spence is a better player than Trent Alexander-Arnold, other than he can fill in at right back and left back, which Tino Livramento can also do.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Stuart: Is the key assumption behind Tuchel’s squad that England do not need more star talent, but a tighter tactical structure and players more willing to fit specific roles within it?

Phil: Afternoon, Stuart. This certainly seems the core message from Thomas Tuchel, as he said: “My job is not necessarily to select the 26 most talented players.”

The focus really was on a team, good characters and selecting players to cover all tactical eventualities that might crop up.

Definitely felt like this was what he was striving for.

To be fair to England manager Thomas Tuchel, he stood up to every question in his news conference and attempted to explain every selection with clarity and commitment.

"Teams win championships, it's as simple as that," he said, explaining that every player selected knows their role and buys into it 100%.

Click on the play icon below to listen to his explanation in full...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Chris: Hi Phil. Ivan Toney, Jordan Henderson, Djed Spence and John Stones not Danny Wellbeck, Adam Wharton, Lewis Hall and Harry Maguire, let alone no Cole Palmer. Very strange choices I think. What’s your view please?

Phil: Hello, Chris. You’ve almost asked me to run through the squad there so I’ll pick a couple out that I have a particular view on.

I have no problem with John Stones being picked if – if – he is fully fit and Thomas Tuchel seems convinced.

Ivan Toney is a real left-field one, especially given he has not been near an England squad since only being used for two minutes as a substitute a year ago.

I must admit, I don't get that one at all.

I would have picked Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton as I think he possesses real quality and I actually do not have a huge problem with Cole Palmer being left out because he has not had a good season, although if you’re leaving him out, I would bring Morgan Gibbs-White in.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Alan: Who do you think is the unluckiest player to miss out on selection?

Phil: Tough question to answer, Alan, as plenty will feel unlucky.

In my opinion, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace, a class act whose passing could have made a real difference.

I can tell you who I really feel sympathy for and that is Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United. Consummate professional, great squad man and fine tourist. I am a huge fan.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Jamal: Do you think Harry Maguire should be on the plane to US?

Phil: I was a little surprised he wasn’t Jamal, but this tells me Thomas Tuchel is totally convinced that John Stones is fit.

Not sure it was wise of him to publicly express his disappointment at his exclusion – followed by his mum – before the squad was even named.

Tuchel was also surprised and I wonder if that will impact his thinking should he need to call for reinforcements in central defence?

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Reader's question: Who will be able to open up tight defences without the flair players like Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, and a great passer of a ball like Alexander-Arnold?

Good question and one that will need to be solved with the tight margins at a World Cup.

I must admit my fear is that England’s midfield is a little one-dimensional, although there is creativity there.

I actually have no problem with the exclusion of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer. They have not been good enough this season in my opinion.

I would, however, have certainly considered a superb passer like Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest or Alex Scott from Bournemouth, who has been outstanding.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Reader's question: Why is John Stones in the squad? He has hardly played this year.

Phil: This is a very fair point and one raised to Thomas Tuchel after the England squad announcement.

If John Stones was fit, he would be one of the first names on my team-sheet, such is his class, composure and temperament.

The worry is, however, that he has only started four Premier League games for Manchester City this season and has suffered injury problems.

We have to trust Tuchel here. He and his support staff must have been monitoring this closely and he sounded very confident that Stones is in good shape.

There is an element of risk, but if Tuchel is confident he is fit, then he is right to pick a player of such quality and influence.

Right, so many questions.

It's a good job we have a man with the calibre and experience of BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty to call upon in this time of need.

If Thomas Tuchel's squad selection left you with more questions than answers, then use the 'Get Involved' button and mark your question for Phil, who will do the rest...

Do you want to know more about each man involved with the task of bringing it home for the first time in 60 years?

Of course you do.

BBC Sport have developed an in-depth guide on all 26 men selected, along with manager Thomas Tuchel.

Click here to read the guide.

NB: All stats accurate as of 22 May.

England

For those of you that may have missed it or just need a reminder, here is the 26-man squad in full, selected by manager Thomas Tuchel, for the 2026 World Cup.

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Manchester City)

Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)

England

That was quite the lengthy news conference from England manager Thomas Tuchel who went into great detail with regard to his decisions around certain selections for the 2026 World Cup squad.

A lot to get your teeth into and you can recap it in full on this page but for now, here are some of the top lines from the Three Lions boss:

• Tuchel defended his decision to select Ivan Toney in his 26-man squad, saying the former Brentford striker has "very special skills that could help us"
• He said he doesn't fear leaving world class talents at home such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer because he is "very confident in the group" chosen, however, he did concede he and his staff have had to leave "some extraordinary talents" out of the squad
• The England boss said the statement released by Harry Maguire on Thursday evening took him by surprise but understands the Manchester United defender's disappointment
• Tuchel confirmed that Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha, Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, Fulham midfielder Josh King plus one other unconfirmed player will all travel to Florida to be part of the camp for the pre-tournament friendlies
• He emphasised how "sure" he is that the and his staff have picked the right 26-man squad before later adding he has "no doubt we chose the right players"
• Tuchel defended his inclusion of both Manchester City defender John Stones and Tottenham full-back Djed Spence, stating Stones is "still on the highest level" and that he "can trust Spence"
• Finally, the England boss sent an emphatic message that the goal going into the World Cup in America is to "win it and not be shy about it"

England

A final word from England boss Thomas Tuchel on the team's chemistry: "No [on whether he spoke to anyone for advice], we trusted our our experiences and our sport psychologists that we have with us. We trusted our observations throughout the camps and didn't speak to other coaches about it.

"We have feedback from club coaches and when we go to stadiums and big amount of observation goes into football behaviour, how is someone warming up, how does he behave to a decision against him, how does he react to what is happening on the pitch. From there we go."