Cole Palmer's Dilemma in England: Injuries and Doubts with Tuchel

This is not how Cole Palmer 's England career was supposed to unfold . After a meteoric rise with Chelsea in the 2023-24 season and having been instrumental for his country at the European Championship despite a secondary role, he was expected to be a key player under new manager Thomas Tuchel a year later.

But things haven't worked out that way. A series of untimely fitness issues have meant the 23-year-old has only earned three more caps since Euro 2024, which looked like a defining moment in his international career, playing just once under the German manager. With the 2026 World Cup just nine months away, time could be running out for Palmer to establish himself in Tuchel's plans and ensure he's the main man in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

False Dawn

Despite his incredible breakthrough season at Chelsea, where he contributed an outrageous 42 goal contributions in all competitions, Palmer was largely relegated to the background at Euro 2024 in Germany, with Sir Gareth Southgate granting him just 145 minutes of action across five matches.

In the few moments he was on the pitch, there's no doubt Palmer was one of England's most impactful players. In just 10 minutes against the Netherlands in the semifinals, it was Palmer who delivered the through ball that dissected the Dutch defense to find Ollie Watkins, who did the rest with a superb finish from the right angle.

That should have been enough to guarantee him a bigger role in the final, but the notoriously pragmatic Southgate kept the ineffective Phil Foden up front against Spain, while Kobbie Mainoo formed part of a more conservative midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. Inexplicably kept on the bench until the 70th minute with England trailing 1-0, Cole Palmer made an immediate impact, firing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner to equalize just three minutes after coming on. The Three Lions would, of course, suffer a heartbreaking late defeat, but from an individual perspective, it looked as though we were witnessing the dawn of Palmer's England superstardom. However, things haven't quite worked out that way yet.

New Coach, New Hope

“It was frustrating in England, to be honest,” Palmer admitted in an interview with GQ a few months after the tournament. “It’s not to say the players aren’t good. But coming from the season I had, the form I was in, everything I did went well… So not playing in the first two games, even when the team was struggling, was a bit like, ‘Why?’ You know what I mean?” Tuchel’s appointment as Southgate’s successor was supposed to change things.

When discussing whether he believed Palmer was the best player in the world in a December interview, a few months before he officially started his job, the German tactician said: “That’s going a bit far, talking about individual players! But he’s definitely in form, I think everyone would agree on that. Hopefully, he can continue to grow and maintain his level. Everyone enjoys watching him. He’s calm, composed, very clinical in his finishing and assisting. Very impressive at the moment.” Ironically, those comments more or less coincided with a dip in Palmer’s numbers, as he struggled to make the same kind of impact in the second half of 2024-25, despite remaining an influential presence for his club.

An Intermittent Path

Despite being a near-ever-present for Chelsea, Palmer was forced to withdraw from Tuchel's first England squad in March 2025 due to a hamstring problem, missing the opening World Cup qualifying wins over Albania and Latvia. His absence there meant he had only been involved in one squad since the European Championship, having withdrawn from both the first and last of the three that interim manager Lee Carsley selected between September and November of last year due to minor fitness issues.

The striker was among a host of players unavailable for Carsley's final matches, despite playing 90 minutes against Arsenal just before the international break, prompting captain Harry Kane to question his commitment. “I think it’s a difficult period in the season, maybe they’ve taken advantage of that a bit,” the forward said. “I don’t like it, to be totally honest. I think England is above everything, above any club situation.” Cole Palmer was able to feature in the post-season international friendlies in June, starting in the narrow win over Andorra before watching from the bench as Tuchel’s side suffered a shock defeat to Senegal.

However, when the September squad announcement came around, he was once again left out due to a persistent groin injury sustained at the Club World Cup. This means Cole Palmer will have earned just three more caps since Euro 2024 out of a possible 12 by the time the first international break of the season is over, having played only once under the new manager. Further questions about his commitment could arise if he remains a fixture for Chelsea while missing international matches.

Tuchel, the Experimenter

Tuchel has shown in his first two squad announcements that he isn't afraid to make controversial selection decisions that will cause a stir, as evidenced by the reinstatement of Jordan Henderson and, more recently, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, practically out of nowhere. Someone like Mason Mount, with whom Tuchel enjoyed a strong bond during his own time at Stamford Bridge, could be next in line for a return if he can regain his fitness after a good start to the season with Manchester United, and that would pose a direct threat to Cole Palmer 's prospects.

Indeed, it has been reported that Tuchel was unhappy about not having the 23-year-old available for the September break, while the attacker's somewhat less explosive form since the start of the year could also count against him. “At the moment, I think even Cole has struggled lately at Chelsea to make an impact,” Tuchel said in June. “So the question would always be, ‘Do we call them up and create an atmosphere where he can still perform here?’ It’s difficult to prescribe freedom, to play freely, and then suddenly everyone plays freely.”

Keeping Your Feet on the Ground

Cole Palmer , for his part, is relaxed about the situation, accepting that he may still need to be patient for his chance with the England shirt despite his exploits with Chelsea, having made his senior debut less than two years ago. “It’s about playing well for my club… Hopefully, people will see that and I can become a starter for England,” Palmer told The Guardian in June. “Last season I played all out wide [in midfield], and this season I’ve moved [more centrally]. Wherever he [Tuchel] puts me, I’ll play.” He was also convinced he would overcome his recent dip in form in terms of goalscoring contributions and become indispensable for his country.

“Things weren't going my way, and it lasted a little longer than I thought,” he said. “But I spoke to people about it, and they explained that it's going to pass. They said that when I come out of this, I'll be an even better player.” Of course, there could be some nice symmetry as next summer's tournament approaches, after Palmer put that patchy form behind him to shine at the Club World Cup in the US last summer, dismantling European champions Paris Saint-Germain almost single-handedly in the final at New York's MetLife Stadium—the same venue that will host the 2026 World Cup final.

Time on Your Side

Given the wealth of attacking talent at England's disposal and Tuchel's unpredictability, Palmer has a tough time nine months before the World Cup kicks off in North America. But for now, time is likely on his side. The 23-year-old will be determined to be available for the October international window. By then, the German manager will have a much clearer idea of ​​what his England squad will look like when they begin their World Cup campaign in June.

With time running out, Cole Palmer will be desperate to stay fit and regain the kind of performance that will make him irreplaceable, giving him the chance to be England's hero, this time as a guaranteed starter, on the biggest stage of all.

Afun