Danny Welbeck’s England story isn’t finished yet. Left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad, the Brighton striker has still made the loudest domestic case of any English forward this season: six goals in 11 Premier League games, top among his countrymen so far. At 34, he isn’t a project, he’s plug-and-play output.
Welbeck hasn’t featured for the Three Lions since 2018, but the path back is clear: sustain the goals, sharpen the penalty-box actions that Tuchel values, and show he can impact games from the bench. With 16 goals in 42 England caps and public backing from high-profile voices, the door is ajar. Tuchel even admitted the call was “close.”
Welbeck is four strikes away from matching last season’s Premier League best (10) with 27 matches left. That runway matters. The brief is simple: keep leading the English scoring chart, repeat movement patterns that generate tap-ins and near-post finishes, and maintain Brighton’s press from the front. As a penalty-box finisher who thrives on first contacts and rebounds, he offers a different threat to England’s current depth options.
Crucially, his timeline aligns with tournament needs. He doesn’t require a system built around him; he changes the picture in 20–30 minutes: pin centre-backs, attack space across the front post, and live off second balls. That’s tournament football.
Thomas Tuchel England squad: why he was ‘close’ and what changes next
Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live, “Yes, he was close… he’s a fantastic leader in Brighton and a very special player… he’s not out of the picture. He’s in contention.”
The manager’s criteria are hiding in plain sight: reliable scoring, leadership habits, and repeatable actions that translate from club to country. For Welbeck, that means turning form into inevitability: keep scoring, keep starting, and keep the metrics that matter (shots in the six-yard box, high-value touches) trending up through spring.
Selection is comparative. If Welbeck remains among the top English scorers behind Harry Kane, the argument becomes less about sentiment and more about roles and margins.
England World Cup squad: the super-sub pathway
No one is dislodging Kane. Welbeck’s route is as the specialist closer. He attacks tired legs, gives England an aerial and near-post target, and preserves structure by pressing on entry. His international record (16 in 42) shows he can finish moves in a shirt that weighs heavy. In tournament football, the fifth forward spot is about certainty of impact in short bursts, not only potential.
Define the job, win the seat: 20 minutes to attack crosses, combine on cut-backs, and occupy centre-backs so wide players find cleaner looks.
