Three England Players Omitted from Squad Facing Spain

England manager Thomas Tuchel has made the decision to omit Josh King, James Garner, and Jarrad Branthwaite from the matchday squad for Sunday's Nations League fixture against Spain. While England traveled with 26 players, UEFA regulations permit only 23 to be named for a game.

This development follows Tuchel's earlier statements regarding the team's preparation for the match in Madrid. He had indicated he would remind his players of UEFA's anti-racism protocols, a measure prompted by a previous match in the Spanish capital in 2004 that was marred by racist abuse directed at England's black players. Spain's manager, Luis de la Fuente, has responded by asserting that "there is no racism in Spain."

Earlier in the week, Tuchel confirmed that James Trafford would start in goal against Spain, a notable change from the established number one, Jordan Pickford. The manager also expressed confidence in his team's ability to challenge Spain's unbeaten record, framing the upcoming game as a crucial "final" in their preparations for Euro 2028, despite already securing qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals.