World Cup 2026: Should Conor Gallagher make the England Squad?

With the World Cup now less than a year away and England having booked their spot at the tournament during October, thoughts have already turned to the squad that German manager Thomas Tuchel could pick. 

As the current rules state, a maximum of 26 players can be called up for the 2026 World Cup, so let’s take a look at one man who hasn’t featured in either of the last two squads and his chances of making it to North America, Conor Gallagher. 

Gallagher became a key figure for England in 2024, making 10 appearances in total, but things have been tougher for him in 2025. Now Gareth Southgate has departed, he has attempted to impress Tuchel, but his last start came in that dismal friendly defeat to Senegal at the City Ground. 

This writer was there that day in the East Midlands and quite honestly, I can’t remember who played - all I can remember is the wonderful Senegal fans having quite the party in the stand above me. Since then, England haven’t put a foot wrong in qualification and they’ve booked their place at the World Cup incredibly comfortably. 

Top of the group with six wins from six, the Three Lions have made light work of qualification, topping their group without conceding a goal. Unfortunately since that summer friendly, Gallagher hasn’t been included in any of Tuchel’s squads, with Elliott Anderson emerging as the perfect midfielder partner for Declan Rice in England’s 4-2-3-1 formation. 

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In fact, since the start of 2023, that’s over two-and-a-half years ago, both Liam and Noel Gallagher have made more Wembley appearances (seven), than Conor (six). This isn’t to diminish the Atletico Madrid midfielder’s hopes of making the squad by the way, I think he’s a different midfielder that could come in handy in a major tournament - as he did in 2024 for Southgate. 

Looking at the central midfielders that he is competing with, he certainly has a chance. Anderson has been a revelation for England and looks to have booked his place on the plane alongside Rice, however, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson were the other central midfielders chosen in the last squad. 

England World Cup 2026 Squad Odds

Henderson has a huge amount of experience and is back in the Premier League with Brentford. Often maligned by fans he continues to prove to be a popular figure for managers, who can trust him to set the standards in training and off the bench. He’s now 36 though, and there’s always a possibility he loses his place between now and June.

The other name ahead of Gallagher in the most recent squad was Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who ended his seven-year absence from the national team with the recent call up. Tuchel is a fan of his from his time at Chelsea, as the now AC Milan midfielder told BBC Sport. 

"I played many positions under Tuchel and he values my physicality so I am used to working under him. He is very intelligent and knows the game so well. Hopefully we can do well to connect with him."

World Cup Odds

Gallagher is well in with a shout of making it next summer, but he will have to break into Diego Simeone’s starting XI. So far, he has been used off the bench in La Liga, starting just once, although he has been picked from the off in both Champions League outings to date. If he can lock down that spot in the middle of the park and Atleti get close to the top two, then he should overtake both Henderson and Loftus-Cheek in the pecking order. 

England aren’t blessed with a load of talent in central midfield, and Gallagher is a reliable option who has served the Three Lions well over a number of years. He could prove to be the smart value looking at the odds as they stand right now. 

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