Ex-Aston Villa and England Veteran Demands Shocking World Cup Lineup Change, Favoring Morgan Rogers Over Chelsea Star
As the March international break looms, all eyes are turning toward Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, where whispers suggest Morgan Rogers is on the cusp of a call-up. It’s that pivotal moment—the final tweaks before the big dance in 2026—and while managers rarely make dramatic changes so close to a major tournament, Rogers’ electric form puts him right in the thick of the conversation. With England set to tackle Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in a group stage loaded with expectation, the pressure’s on to not just qualify but to finally shatter six decades of disappointment. The buzz isn’t just about the squad; it’s about the players who’ll step onto that plane—and right now, Rogers looks like a standout contender. LEARN MORE
Morgan Rogers is expected to be named in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the upcoming March international break.
Typically, a manager’s selection tends not to deviate too greatly three months before a major tournament and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Rogers is in a strong position to be ‘on the plane’.
Emile Heskey: ‘Rogers over Palmer for England at the World Cup’
The Three Lions are blessed with an abundance of talent, particularly in the attacking areas, but Tuchel can only pick 11 players when England line up to take on Croatia on June 17.
One player who is having an excellent season in the Premier League, and consequently putting himself front and centre of any discussion surrounding potential World Cup lineups, is Morgan Rogers.
The Aston Villa midfielder is a candidate for Tuchel’s No. 10 position, slotting in behind skipper Harry Kane as he has done in previous international windows.
Speaking to FourFourTwo about England’s chances at this summer’s tournament on behalf of AGamble.com, Emile Heskey believes Rogers is the best option in the hole.
“Well, number nine has already chosen itself, hasn’t it? And I would say number seven has already chosen itself with [Bukayo] Saka,” the ex-England man said. “Eleven I’d probably go with, I might even go with [Anthony] Gordon, but I know [Marcus] Rashford has had a good season. I’ll probably go with Gordon – and 10 is a very difficult one, an extremely difficult one.
“At this moment in time with the way I feel, I love Morgan Rogers. I love the way that he plays, but then [Palmer] just scored a hat-trick didn’t he? And by the way, we were talking about him not going. So it’s great that we are getting our players in good form right now, but at this moment in time I would say Morgan Rogers.”
Heskey made 62 appearances for the Three Lions, scoring seven times. He appeared at UEFA Euro 2000, World Cup 2002, where he scored in a 3-0 win over Denmark, Euro 2004 and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Rogers, meanwhile, has 12 caps to his name and recently scored his first England goal in a victory over Wales.
Cole Palmer, also 23 and a product of Manchester City‘s academy setup, is another candidate for the No. 10 role at the World Cup and did no harm to his chances with a hat-trick for Chelsea against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.
He has, however, missed the last three England camps through injury, last making an appearance for the Three Lions in an underwhelming 1-0 win over Andorra last year – his only outing under Tuchel.
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