England manager Thomas Tuchel has handed Jobe Bellingham his first senior call-up, bringing him into the same squad as his older brother Jude for the upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.
The 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder is one of two new faces in England’s 25-man squad. Fulham teenager Josh King has also earned his first call-up, while Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has missed out.
Jobe has impressed Tuchel with his performances for Dortmund this season. The England manager also praised his displays for the under-21 side. Tuchel described the selection of both brothers as a special moment for their family.
“I think in general it’s an incredible achievement for the family and for the brothers to be both nominated for their national team, which is an incredible story in itself,” Tuchel said at Wembley on Friday.
The England boss said Jobe had shown his quality in midfield and could offer something different from Jude.
“We see him in the central midfield, so he’s one of five players now for the central midfield, he’s a more defensive player than his brother Jude, so he’s strong on the ball, good physique, a big body, a very physical player and can keep possession.”
Meanwhile, Palmer has again failed to make the squad after withdrawing from the previous international camp. Tuchel said the Chelsea forward had missed chances to prove himself, while other players had performed well enough to retain their places.
“It’s not personal and of course we will never assume that Cole is not in the mindset to play for his country, but the competition is on and the players who were in camp did an amazing job and kept their place,” he said.
England currently sit second in Nations League Group A3 with three wins and one defeat from four matches. They will host Croatia on Thursday before travelling to face Spain. England need just one point to secure a place in the knockout rounds, but Tuchel wants his side to finish top of the group.
“We want to play under pressure and we want to play in the big occasions,” he said.
England beat Croatia 7-0 last month, although Tuchel warned his players against expecting another easy victory.
Harry Kane is also closing in on another England record. The Bayern Munich striker, who recently won the Ballon d’Or, has made 125 appearances for England. He is level with former goalkeeper Peter Shilton and could become the country’s most capped men’s player in the next match.
Tuchel praised Kane’s consistency and attitude.
“It’s just an incredible achievement, just underlines his professional status and his demeanour and his attitude,” he said.
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Jason Steele, James Trafford
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrad Branthwaite, Marc Guéhi, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Ben White
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Jobe Bellingham, Jude Bellingham, James Garner, Josh King, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Rio Ngumoha, Morgan Rogers
