Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi pulls out of England squad with injury

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi pulls out of England squad with injury

The 25-year-old centre-back had missed Thursday's 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley and was unable to recover in time for the final Group K clash in Tirana.

Guehi sustained a bruised ankle in recent Europa Conference League action against AZ Alkmaar, an injury that left him unable to play in Palace's 0-0 draw with Brighton last Sunday.

Despite joining the England camp earlier this week, he was monitored closely by medical staff but ultimately returned to Palace to continue his rehabilitation.

A Football Association statement confirmed his departure: "Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi has left the England camp and will not travel to Albania for Sunday's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier."

Head coach Thomas Tuchel will travel with a 24-player squad, as no replacement has been named. Guehi's absence leaves John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah, and Jarrell Quansah as the remaining options at centre-back. Tuchel may choose to maintain the Stones-Konsa pairing or rotate with Chalobah, Burn, or Quansah for the final match of the international calendar.

England have already secured their place at next year's World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, maintaining a perfect record with seven wins from seven matches in Group K. Tuchel's focus now turns to finishing the qualification campaign on a high note, while Guehi's timeline for return remains uncertain. The defender could miss additional key fixtures for the Eagles, including Premier League clashes with Wolves and Manchester United, as well as upcoming Conference League games.

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