Wayne Rooney has urged new England manager Thomas Tuchel to ensure Cole Palmer plays a major role in the national team setup as the Three Lions prepare for their World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed in October to succeed Gareth Southgate, officially took charge this month and has been closely assessing his options before announcing his first squad in March.
The German has been a regular at stadiums across England, analyzing potential selections for the upcoming qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley.
While Palmer is expected to be included in the squad—fitness permitting—his place in the starting lineup remains uncertain. Southgate came under fire last summer for using the 22-year-old sparingly, limiting him to a peripheral role despite England reaching the final.
Tuchel, however, has shown strong admiration for the Chelsea star, praising him after December’s qualifying draw:
“He is definitely on form, everyone would agree. Hopefully, he can maintain this level, and then everything will be fine.
Everyone enjoys watching him—he’s cool, composed, and clinical in both finishing and assisting.”
Palmer’s impressive performances at Stamford Bridge this season have only strengthened calls for him to have a bigger role at the international level.
Rooney, speaking on The Overlap, made it clear he believes Palmer belongs in England’s first team.
“Palmer has to play for England. You can see his confidence—he looks like someone who thrives under pressure,” the former England captain said.
“Most teams now play with a front five, where wide players often function as No. 10s. In possession, they’re not just wingers but key playmakers.”
However, Palmer isn’t the only player vying for a spot in Tuchel’s system. Phil Foden has returned to form in recent weeks, adding to the competition for attacking roles.
The Manchester City playmaker struggled to replicate his club performances in the national team last summer and recently voiced his frustration over being played out of position.
“I felt frustrated that I couldn’t influence games the way I wanted. Playing on the left made it difficult,” Foden admitted.
“Coming off a season where I was the best player in the Premier League as a central midfielder, it was tough to adjust. I can play multiple roles, but I don’t think England ever hit their stride.”
Rooney sympathized with Foden’s concerns but argued that the modern game requires flexibility.
“I understand where he’s coming from,” Rooney said. “I was comfortable on the left but hated playing on the right. For left-footed players, cutting inside can be tricky. But today’s game is different—there’s constant rotation.
He wasn’t stuck out wide. If anything, England had too many players crowding the middle, with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane also dropping deep.”
With Tuchel set to make his first squad announcement in the coming weeks, the challenge will be finding a way to accommodate both Palmer and Foden while maintaining balance in the team.
The German manager must decide whether Palmer’s form and versatility warrant a starting spot—or if the competition for places forces him to wait for his opportunity once again.