{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreibxtey53vu4osjgtgxffrnpa3ks4s6ghjwenbis4aatsa76lrlj4i",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:b7afdzqsmwksxypciqnplglk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mocyxciawaa2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreigvnvmxzopp4y3uf2kx2cxuoc62sjttpweqnuyom6zv5ymj6piapa"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/png",
    "size": 402991
  },
  "path": "/2026/06/15/alan-shearer-disagrees-thomas-tuchel-dropping-england-world-cup-star-28781571/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-15T09:29:13.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Alan Shearer",
    "Croatia football team",
    "England men's football team",
    "Ezri Konsa",
    "Gary Lineker",
    "Joe Cole",
    "John Stones",
    "Marc Guehi",
    "Micah Richards",
    "Thomas Tuchel",
    "World Cup",
    "Group L rivals Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday night",
    "installed as one of the favourites to win the World Cup",
    "Gareth Southgate",
    "back-to-back European Championship finals",
    "Sign up here",
    "Chelsea",
    "PSG",
    "set to drop Guehi for the World Cup opener",
    "brilliant season for Crystal Palace and Manchester City",
    "win the Europa League",
    "The Rest is Football",
    "supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo",
    "competing for a place on the left flank",
    "Jude Bellingham looks set to get the nod ahead of Morgan Rogers",
    "check our sport page",
    "Facebook",
    "Twitter",
    "Instagram",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "England legend Alan Shearer (Picture: YouTube)\n\nAlan Shearer is one of a number of England legends concerned by reports Thomas Tuchel will drop Marc Guehi for the Three Lions’ World Cup opener against Croatia.\n\nTuchel’s side kick-start their World Cup campaign with a potentially tricky clash against Group L rivals Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday night.\n\nEngland have been installed as one of the favourites to win the World Cup after coming desperately close to a major trophy under former boss Sir Gareth Southgate.\n\nSouthgate’s team reached back-to-back European Championship finals and the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup before exiting at the quarter-final stage in Qatar four years ago.\n\n##  It's finally here\n\nGet everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day. Sign up here.\n\nEngland put their faith in former Chelsea and PSG manager Tuchel ahead of this World Cup, hoping the German can end 60 years of hurt out in the United States.\n\nBut Tuchel has already surprised several England greats with reports he is set to drop Guehi for the World Cup opener and partner John Stones with Ezri Konsa in defence.\n\nGuehi was one of England’s best players at Euro 2024 and travelled to the States off the back of a brilliant season for Crystal Palace and Manchester City.\n\nThomas Tuchel ahead of England’s World Cup opener (Picture: Getty)\n\nKonsa also impressed for Aston Villa, helping Unai Emery’s side qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa League.\n\nStones has been one of England’s best defenders for the past decade but barely featured in his final season at Man City due to injury issues.\n\n‘Judging By the reports, if you believe them, it looks like it’s going to be John Stones and Ezri Konsa so Marc Guehi would be the one to miss out,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football.\n\nMarc Guehi looks set to be left out (Picture: Getty)\n\n‘I would start Guehi and Konsa, just because of Stones’ lack of football, he didn’t play much this season and this is obviously a very important game.\n\n‘So I would go with Guehi and Konsa. It will be a big surprise if Guehi is left out, not many people wouldn’t have started Guehi in this first game.’\n\nFellow former England striker Gary Lineker agreed with Shearer’s assessment, saying: ‘I would certainly start Marc Guehi. If Stones is fit I would start him as well.’\n\nTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo\n\nUp Next\n\nPrevious Page\n\nNext Page\n\nJoe Cole, a mainstay in the England team between 2001 and 2010, added: ‘Same. For me Marc Guehi is the number one centre half in the squad.\n\n‘John Stones is a fantastic player and if he can get to the levels he’s got to before he’s England’s best defender.\n\n‘But Guehi was incredible this season. I find it strange that they’re even talking about not playing him.’\n\nEx-England defender Micah Richards, meanwhile, would also start Guehi against Croatia but noted that Konsa ‘never lets you down’.\n\n‘I would agree with you guys,’ he said. ‘I’m playing Marc Guehi and John Stones, they compliment each other really well.\n\n‘Guehi is good on the ball but he’s also dependable and reads the game really well. For the balance of the team those two would work well.\n\n‘Having said that Ezri Konsa never lets you down. I trust all three of them to be honest but I would go with Guehi and Stones.’\n\nThe other two major selection dilemmas for Tuchel concern the left-wing and the No. 10 position.\n\nMarcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon are competing for a place on the left flank while Jude Bellingham looks set to get the nod ahead of Morgan Rogers.\n\nAfter their World Cup opener against Croatia, England take on Ghana and Panama as they look to progress from Group L and reach the knockout stages.\n\n**For more stories like this, check our sport page**.\n\n**Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on**Facebook,** Twitter and Instagram**.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Alan Shearer disagrees with Thomas Tuchel’s decision to drop England World Cup star"
}