LONDON: Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson have been included in coach Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Rashford’s international future had been uncertain after Manchester United sent him out on loan to Aston Villa. Both he and Henderson missed out on last summer’s European Championship.
Tuchel on Friday also included uncapped defenders Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn in his 26-man squad. Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly is 18, while Newcastle’s Burn gets his first call-up at the age of 32.
England hosts Albania next Friday and Latvia three days later at Wembley Stadium.
The 34-year-old Henderson left Liverpool in the summer of 2023 for a big-money move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, but he lasted just six months and transferred to Ajax, in part to face European competition and keep his place in the England team.
But Henderson wasn’t picked by former coach Gareth Southgate for the Euros, where England reached the final before losing 2-1 to Spain.
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)