Did Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold cost England World Cup win vs. Ghana?

Fans of The Three Lions were left with one major question after England’s FIFA World Cup Group L draw with Ghana. Did Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold cost England a win without even playing? Thomas Tuchel left both stars out of his 2026 World Cup squad after dips in form and tactical preferences. Yet the match screamed for their skill sets.

England controlled the ball with 78% possession, 619 passes, and 19 shots, while Ghana managed only two shots and 22% possession. For all that control, England still could not turn dominance into the win it needed.

In a high-stakes FIFA World Cup setting, the numbers told a warning story. England had four shots on target and nine corners, while Ghana committed 24 fouls and sat deep. The low block stayed compact, and England kept circling without enough bite. That is where the debate exploded.

England’s omissions look louder after Ghana draw

On talkSPORT, Andy Goldstein and Gabby Agbonlahor gave voice to what fans were thinking.

Gordon starting
Tuchel's subs
"Terrible" Madueke
Tuchel's tactics
No Cole Palmer
Lack of Rice goals
Spence starting

Goldstein and Agbonlahor are raging with a lot of what they saw from England and Tuchel vs Ghana! #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/gMzwqWieFF

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 24, 2026

Goldstein said, “But that game for me was crying out for Trent. If you need anyone on the right full-back position to whip crosses in, it was Trent.” He added, “when you’ve got a team that play in the way they do with 10 behind the ball and a low block and you need someone to unlock their defence, Cole Palmer, I mean, my goodness. It was a game for Palmer.”

Agbonlahor agreed and pointed straight at England’s missing creativity. “That game was crying for someone who’s got that clinical pass. You know, that little lofted through ball into Harry Kane or one of the attacking players. We haven’t got that on the pitch.”

Tuchel trusted balance, form, and structure, and that became the issue. But World Cup games often turn on one pass, one Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, or one Cole Palmer idea. England had control, but not enough cutting edge. Ghana survived because England never found the final spark. Now fans will ask the uncomfortable question: did England leave its answer at home?

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