Wayne Rooney has told Jack Grealish to "book his holiday" as he won't be making Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup squad. The former England captain, now an assistant coach under Gareth Southgate, has made it clear that Grealish will not be included in the team for the tournament.
Rooney's comments come after Grealish had expressed his desire to play for England at the World Cup, and he had even chosen the iconic Everton shirt number 18 to emulate Rooney and Paul Gascoigne. However, with the current squad looking set, it seems that Grealish will have to wait another day to make his international debut.
The news has sparked a lot of debate among football fans, with some calling for Grealish's inclusion in the squad despite his recent form. Others have praised Rooney's decision, saying that the team needs to be at its strongest possible for the World Cup.
This move by Rooney and Southgate is likely to be seen as a way of managing expectations and ensuring that the team is selected based on merit rather than popularity. With the tournament just around the corner, every spot in the squad will be crucial, and it seems that Grealish will have to wait for his chance to shine.
In other news from the world of football, Joshua Zirkzee has been told there is no chance of a Manchester United exit in January, while Chido Obi could make his first senior appearance of the season for the club following an injury to Benjamin Sesko.
Rooney's comments come after Grealish had expressed his desire to play for England at the World Cup, and he had even chosen the iconic Everton shirt number 18 to emulate Rooney and Paul Gascoigne. However, with the current squad looking set, it seems that Grealish will have to wait another day to make his international debut.
The news has sparked a lot of debate among football fans, with some calling for Grealish's inclusion in the squad despite his recent form. Others have praised Rooney's decision, saying that the team needs to be at its strongest possible for the World Cup.
This move by Rooney and Southgate is likely to be seen as a way of managing expectations and ensuring that the team is selected based on merit rather than popularity. With the tournament just around the corner, every spot in the squad will be crucial, and it seems that Grealish will have to wait for his chance to shine.
In other news from the world of football, Joshua Zirkzee has been told there is no chance of a Manchester United exit in January, while Chido Obi could make his first senior appearance of the season for the club following an injury to Benjamin Sesko.
But at the same time, we don't know the full squad list yet and they gotta make tough calls... maybe this is the push Grealish needs to step up his game 
But on the other hand, I can see why some fans might be salty about it, like he's just "out of favour" or something 
. I mean, I know Tuchel's gotta make tough decisions, but come on, can't he see that excitement? It's not all about winning or losing, it's about giving players a chance to shine on the big stage 
.
They need fresh faces and new energy, not just more of the same old guys who can't seem to get it right. I'm all for merit-based selection and all that, but what if Grealish is the one who breaks through? 
he's gotta be gutted 2 hear that he won't make the squad 4 the 2026 World Cup. I think @WayneRooney & @GarethSouthgate r making a smart move tho 
, they can't risk putting any players in a spot where they might get hurt or struggle. But it's still disappointing 4 Grealish, he's shown some great form lately! 
Maybe next time? Fingers crossed! 
#GrealishDeservesChance #EnglandSquadGoals
! I'm all about fairness and merit-based selection, but this decision has got me scratching my head... Like, isn't his form recently been fire 
? And now he's being told to "book his holiday" 
? It just doesn't feel right. Have you seen the squad list for the World Cup so far? It looks like there are loads of other players who aren't doing as well as Grealish, and I'm not sure how that's gonna affect team morale 
.
he's been practicin hard & gettin goals 4 man utd, u'd think he'd be a lock 4 england squad 4 2026 
what's the point of even choosin players based on popularity rite now? we gotta see some real talent shine thru... or else we'll b in 4 trouble 