Tuchel made the surprise decision to recall Henderson for England's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers with Albania and Latvia. "He embodies everything. He is a serial winner, his personality and character. He is the glue in every team that he has played, the glue that makes things special," Tuchel told ITV.

Thomas Tuchel will name his first England XI on Friday night as the Three Lions line up against Albania in their 2026 World Cup qualifier. Five months on from his official appointment, the German coach has had his first opportunity to work with the group at St George’s Park this week.

Tuchel, by the England squad, has been understood as a ‘perfectionist’ and a ‘workaholic’ after taking the FA through his plan of lifting silverware in the foreseeable future, which consisted of a step-by-step PowerPoint presentation.