'Unselfish' over 'ego' - what do leaks say about Tuchel's England?

'Unselfish' over 'ego' - what do leaks say about Tuchel's England? Figure caption, Thomas Tuchel on leaks, Harry Maguire and England's 26-man World Cup squad There were very few surprises when England's World Cup squad was announced on Friday morning. Not because Thomas Tuchel made no controversial selections, but because the entire 26-man squad was steadily revealed through a series of leaks to journalists on Thursday.

The identities of who was in and who was out began to become clear from about 17:00 BST, at the same time as the majority of the players themselves were finding out. Tuchel was clear that he selected a group of players he fully trusts. "My job is not necessarily to select the 26 most talented players," he said. "I can assure every fan in the country that we have 26 100% committed players, who are ready to buy into their role on and off the pitch, who are ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish." So what exactly happened with the leaks, and what do Tuchel's pointed comments about selflessness tell us about what he wants from England's culture? What did Tuchel say about leaks and players he trusts? Manchester United defender Harry Maguire's decision to go public with his "shock and disappointment" on social media after being informed of his non-selection on Thursday drew criticism from some fans and pundits, who suggested the experienced defender should have waited for the official announcement before speaking out. But other players, who did not publicly comment while still passing on news about their own situations, would have been fully aware the information would leak. Tuchel's predecessor Gareth Southgate was praised throughout his tenure for generating an atmosphere of unity in his squad and restoring the positive relationship between the players and the public. The first three players whose absence from the squad began to be leaked to journalists - Maguire, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer - were all previously favourites of Southgate's. So does the fact that some players went rogue undermine Tuchel's authority or suggest some kind of disunity? The German expressed evident displeasure with Maguire's reaction. "It was not necessary to make it public," Tuchel told BBC sports editor Dan Roan.

Key points

• The identities of who was in and who was out began to become clear from about 17:00 BST, at the same time as the majority of the players themselves were finding out.
• Tuchel was clear that he selected a group of players he fully trusts.
• "My job is not necessarily to select the 26 most talented players," he said.
• "I can assure every fan in the country that we have 26 100% committed players, who are ready to buy into their role on and off the pitch, who are ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and…
• What did Tuchel say about leaks and players he trusts?