England manager Thomas Tuchel has said he is “not angry” with the eight players who withdrew from the squad ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Japan.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noni Madueke, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, and Adam Wharton pulled out following Friday’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley.
The match was the final England camp before the May 30 World Cup squad deadline.
Tuchel, speaking at a Monday pre-match press conference, said he was “disappointed, but not with the players, with the fact we want to have everyone in good spirits and health.”
He noted that the withdrawals were part of a mix of precaution and planned rotation.
He highlighted the toll of a long season and multiple competitions on players, saying, “We have players in camp that have already played more minutes than last season, so there is some concern.
The players needed and deserved the mental break from football.”
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The manager praised the remaining squad for their commitment, including players continuing injury treatment.
“I got the feeling that everyone was desperate to come. No one left straight away. It’s a good spirit, and that’s how it should be,” he added.
Tuchel had called up an expanded 35-man squad for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, splitting players into two groups of fringe players and regular starters.
He emphasized the importance of reconnecting with team principles ahead of the World Cup.
England’s World Cup campaign in the US, Canada, and Mexico runs from June 11 to July 19, with warm-up friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica in June, followed by group matches against Croatia on June 17, Ghana on June 23, and Panama on June 27.