{
  "id": 18513232,
  "title": "Xabi Alonso reacts to Cole Palmer's surprise omission from England squad",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/xabi-alonso-reacts-to-cole-palmers-surprise-omission-from-england",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-06T14:32:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/xabi-alonso-reacts-cole-palmers-143233562.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has expressed confidence in Cole Palmer despite the midfielder's surprise exclusion from England's recent squad. Thomas Tuchel, Palmer's former manager, had previously criticized Palmer for missing numerous opportunities to make an impact, citing his missed training camps due to injuries as a contributing factor. Palmer was left out of the October international window and has not featured for England since March. He was also not selected for the World Cup squad due to ongoing injury issues. Speaking to media before Chelsea's upcoming match against Sunderland, Alonso stated that he had not discussed the England squad selection with Palmer but expressed his satisfaction with the player's performance. Chelsea had confirmed to the England setup that Palmer was both fit and available for selection. Since joining Chelsea, Palmer has been a consistent starter in the Premier League, scoring five goals and providing three assists in 11 games across all competitions. He has also formed an effective partnership with fellow attacker Morgan Rogers, who has also made the England squad. Tuchel confirmed that he had enough suitable options for the current round of fixtures, including Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze, and Jude Bellingham, in addition to Palmer and Rogers. Alonso emphasized that they were focused on their respective club's goals and would not dwell on Palmer's potential return to the England squad. He reiterated his positive assessment of Palmer's quality, attitude, and impact on the team, while acknowledging that they have more pressing matters to address at Chelsea. Alonso further dismissed any notion that the omission might reflect poorly on his character, reiterating that Palmer should concentrate on his performance and enjoyment of football with Chelsea.",
  "summary": "Cole Palmer was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad after ‘missing too many opportunities to impress’",
  "key_points": [
    "Xabi Alonso confident in Cole Palmer despite England squad exclusion.",
    "Palmer missed training camps due to injuries, criticized by former manager.",
    "Alonso satisfied with Palmer's performance at Chelsea."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}