England boss Thomas Tuchel warns Trent Alexander-Arnold over defending after Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits he has also done the same
England boss Thomas Tuchel on Trent Alexander-Arnold: "I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort... he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously"
Saturday 24 May 2025 12:27, UK
England boss Thomas Tuchel has warned Trent Alexander-Arnold he could cost his country World Cup glory unless he improves defensively.
Alexander-Arnold has been named in Tuchel's squad for the upcoming games against Andorra and Senegal, having been injured for the March camp.
But the German has already strongly marked the right-back's card ahead of his protracted transfer to Real Madrid this summer.
Alexander-Arnold, one of the most creative defenders in the world, has often been criticised for his defensive lapses.
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Tuchel says Alexander-Arnold must improve if he wants to be involved for England, but is looking forward to getting to know him.
The German said: "I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort.
"This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years, if he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very seriously.
"Because when we are talking, especially, about qualifying football and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.
"We will put this all into consideration, but now is the moment to get to know him. I know him. I played against him. I had phone calls with him.
"But now is the moment to feel him for nine or 10 days, feel him around the squad, see what he can do, what he can bring, and then from there we go."
Slot: I told Trent he did not show his full defensive ability
Liverpool boss Arne Slot said earlier on Friday that the 26-year-old "could do a bit more, to say it mildly" in training to improve, but that he was a better defender than people give him credit for.
Slot revealed he had spoken with Alexander-Arnold a lot at the start of the season when he pulled him up about his defending.
"He's going to leave either way so why not tell it? It is already a first gift I can give Xabi Alonso [expected to be the new Real Madrid manager]," he said.
"I wasn't completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. In my opinion in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.
"I said to him: 'You are a much better defender than everyone tells you. Unfortunately you don't show it all the time.' That is why people sometimes tell you it is a part of a game you need to improve.
"If you are just at it and you are focused and concentrated, there are not many players who can go around him because he is fast, agile. He has a great mentality.
"It is about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games we don't do so well."
Tuchel expect England to suffer in the heat at 2026 World Cup
Tuchel has predicted a World Cup of "suffering" for his players in the North American heat.
The England boss hopes his side can take another step towards qualification for the 2026 World Cup - which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico - when they take on Andorra in a qualifier next month.
The hot and humid climate is sure to provide challenges for the players, with some of them due to get a taste of it in this summer's Club World Cup, which is being held in the US.
Tuchel will also be at the tournament on a research mission to get a full flavour of the conditions.
"That is why it is important to see matches now in America and in Miami at three in the afternoon," Tuchel said.
"I will see that. How it looks and we need to understand how to cool the players down, to drink. What are our options.
"Let's see because it is after the season so it will be very similar. But the actual experience is for the players but I have done pre-season there in Orlando and I will be very surprised if we do not suffer.
"Suffering is one of the headlines for this World Cup."
The German will not go into next summer underprepared, however.
He has switched the first part of the forthcoming June camp to Barcelona, where the match with Andorra will be played, to experience hot conditions, while also having tests to monitor how individual players adapt.
"The FA provides support on the highest level to the conditions," he added. "I am curious to go to the Club World Cup and see the stadiums and actually feel the heat and then we will go from there.
"We will test the players how they react to heat and all that stuff. So in a very professional level, we will increase our knowledge about how to cool players down - how they react to heat and all that stuff, when to take a cooling break, how to individually cool players down, what helps each player.
"So there is a level of support going on at its highest level at the federation which I am very happy about as it allows me to focus on football."
