England manager Thomas Tuchel has recalled Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to his squad for next week’s World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

The pair return after missing the last round of fixtures, when Tuchel’s side sealed qualification for next year’s finals with two games to spare following a 5–0 win over Latvia.

Once again, there is no place for Jack Grealish, despite his strong form for Everton, while Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck has also been overlooked despite scoring six Premier League goals this season.

Tuchel has made six changes to the squad named in October, with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins among the notable omissions.

There is, however, a first England call-up for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who has impressed in the Cherries’ excellent start to the campaign. Manchester City full-back Nico O’Reilly, who replaced the injured Reece James in the last squad, retains his place, while Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton returns to the fold.

Bellingham and Foden Back in Form

Bellingham’s absence from the last squad was widely discussed after Tuchel explained he wanted to reward players who had impressed in earlier qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. The 22-year-old Real Madrid star, who struggled with injuries early in the season, has since rediscovered his best form, scoring three goals in his last four matches for the Spanish giants.

Foden, meanwhile, has returned to top form for Manchester City, netting twice in this week’s Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.

“We’re delighted they’re back,” Tuchel told reporters. “Their contribution to their clubs has been immense. They’re playing regularly, scoring decisive goals, and are both in great form.

Jude comes back as a number 10 — I think that’s his best position. And for Phil, the main thing is giving him a central role where he can influence the game.”

Scott’s Breakthrough and England’s Options Up Front

Alex Scott, born in the Channel Islands, has been one of Bournemouth’s standout players this season and earns his first senior call-up ahead of the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

“I hope he proves us right by showing his talent and personality,” Tuchel said of the 22-year-old.

Despite selecting only one traditional striker in Harry Kane, Tuchel played down concerns about a lack of options in attack.

“We don’t have a clear number nine behind Harry, but we have flexibility,” he said. “Anthony Gordon plays there for Newcastle, Marcus Rashford has done it for Barcelona, and Phil Foden can play a very fluid false nine. We have enough options to be dangerous.”

England’s Position in Group K

England sit top of Group K with a perfect record — 18 points from six matches. They face third-placed Serbia at Wembley on Thursday before travelling to Tirana to meet second-placed Albania on Sunday. Albania have 11 points, while Serbia are on 10. Only the group winners qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup, with runners-up heading to the playoffs.

England Squad for November Internationals

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle United)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)