The struggles that West Ham United have endured this season may have played a role in Thomas Tuchel overlooking him when he named England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Bowen has been left out of England’s World Cup squad, with Noni Madueke instead selected to back-up Bukayo Saka.
Jarrod Bowen is NOT in England’s World Cup squad! 🤯 What’s your reaction? 💭
Thomas Tuchel has made several SHOCKING decisions!
It felt like a harsh decision, despite the fact Bowen has recently struggled for goals at Premier League level.
The West Ham skipper has produced better numbers than Madueke and it’s not as if he is new to the international stage.
Indeed, West Ham fans are angry Bowen was overlooked by England, and Tuchel opened up about it during his press conference at Wembley.
Tuchel suggests West Ham’s plight has cost Bowen’s England spot
Asked about Bowen, Tuchel said: “You mention Jarrod. Jarrod was the one of the players under the radar maybe, but he was just excellent in every camp for us and then gets the phone call that he’s not on the plane.
“Does Jarrod suffer a bit from the situation at his club? It’s difficult for him. Does Noni and Bukayo benefit from the situation at their club that play in finals, they bagged the Premier League title, they play in a Champions League final.”
How does Bowen’s snub impact our chances of keeping him this summer even if relegated? 🤔
He added: “Without telling too much, the reaction of Jarrod was just outstanding. It proved again what kind of character he is, how much he buys into the team spirit, even if it was a difficult one and a disappointing message for him.”
One does not have to disregard Madueke when discussing Bowen. The Arsenal man might not have the track record that Bowen boasts, but he has played well in recent camps for England.
Still, the idea that a player’s club position could count against them does not make that much sense when the likes of Tottenham’s Djed Spence are involved.
Ivan Toney, meanwhile, is playing out in Saudi Arabia – a level way below the Premier League no matter which way you look at it.
It does feel unfair on Bowen, who continues to make a difference at elite level despite the fact the goals have dried up recently.
Saka was always expected to start on the right hand but this felt like a major chance for Bowen, who has continued to rack up the goal contributions even despite West Ham’s collective malaise.
To say he’s been brilliant would be too much, but this is still a player who has scored eight goals while registering 10 assists in 37 Premier League games.
If England win the World Cup, supporters here in east London and beyond will no doubt forget all about this. Until that point, however, Tuchel’s controversial squad selection has invited pressure on him.
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