Far from being called up for the World Cup, player Cole Palmer, as decided by German coach Thomas Tuchel, is enjoying a period of rest without worrying about the England team’s challenges in the tournament.
Midfielder Cole Palmer, 24, and his partner, Olivia Holder, 23, were seen enjoying the paradisiacal landscapes of the island of Ibiza, in Spain.
“This is a superior destination to the World Cup”, commented an internet user ironically, referring to the images published of the couple on the trip.
Another internet user expressed agreement, stating that the holiday experience outweighed participating in the England team.
A third comment on social media highlighted that Palmer would be “hoisting his own World Cup trophy” during the holiday.
Olivia, the athlete’s girlfriend, is a model, digital influencer and businesswoman of British origin. Their relationship was publicly confirmed in the last months of 2024.
Cole Palmer, who shone as one of Chelsea’s pillars in winning the Club World Cup, held in the United States the previous year, was widely tipped to be part of the squad for the World Cup. However, he was excluded from the final list drawn up by Tuchel, as was the talented Phil Foden, another prominent name in English football.
Coach Thomas Tuchel’s justification
After publishing the debate-generating list, the coach clarified that he prioritized maintaining the core of players from the latest FIFA squads and selecting athletes with varied profiles. According to Tuchel, the team established a solid identity at the end of the previous year, driven by the incorporation of new talents.
“In the month of November, we noticed a renewal, with younger athletes performing with great energy, an efficient combination of experience and youth that optimized the overall performance”, declared the coach in a press conference following the call-up. “Our objective is to replicate this atmosphere, which is why we gave great importance to the group that participated with us in the last three training cycles. For certain choices, the consideration was tactical, avoiding calling up multiple number 10s so as not to force them into positions in which they would not perform”, he added.
In addition to Palmer and Foden, other prominent players, such as Harry Maguire and Trent Alexander-Arnold, were left out of the World Cup. Tuchel reported having had private conversations with the excluded athletes to inform them of the decision, expressing the emotional impact that these choices had on the formation of the final list.
“These were complex calls. I have deep respect for each of them, both as athletes and as individuals. They all demonstrated excellence during the training period. The task of reducing the squad was challenging, and at times, extremely painful. I was able to feel the emotional intensity during the calls. I contacted every player who participated in our training at least once. Many of them, in fact, deserved a place on the team.”