World Cup: England’s shock squad and the politics of football – The Latest

Summary

Podcast Summary: Today in Focus – World Cup: England’s shock squad and the politics of football – The Latest

Date: May 22, 2026
Host: Lucy Hoffman (The Guardian)
Guest: Jonathan Liu, Guardian sports columnist
Duration: ~11 minutes of core content

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Overview

This episode dives into a seismic week in English football, marked by Arsenal clinching their first Premier League title in 22 years and the shock announcement of England’s World Cup squad. Host Lucy Hoffman discusses these developments with Guardian sports columnist Jonny Liu, examining squad controversies, the impact of new England manager Thomas Tuchel, the cultural power of football, and the political backdrop of a World Cup hosted in the United States.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. England’s Surprise World Cup Squad

Timestamps: [00:42]–[02:52]

• Major Omissions:

  • Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Harry Maguire are left out by new manager Thomas Tuchel.

  • Many were surprised, given these players’ prominence in prior squads.

    "The major omissions, you might say, are Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, all kind of mainstays of previous squads...all dropped by Thomas Tuchel." – Jonny Liu [01:56]

  • Reasons range from injuries and out-of-form players to tactical preferences:

    • Palmer: injured
    • Foden: out of form
    • TAA: "He just doesn't like him as a player, he's voiced concerns about his defensive capabilities."
    • Maguire: Replaced by “younger, more mobile defenders” and vented frustration on social media.

  • Maguire’s exclusion sparked a strong emotional response in his own family:

    "His mum has said it's disgusting. Which my boyfriend said was the moment he knew the World Cup had truly started." – Lucy Hoffman [02:52]

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2. The Thomas Tuchel Era: Hopes and Controversies

Timestamps: [02:52]–[04:09]

• Why Tuchel?

  • Hailed as a high-profile appointment, considered among the best available

  • Despite being German—a concern for some—Tuchel’s passion for English football has won many over.

  • Mixed results so far, particularly in friendlies, but public support remains.

    "Tuchel is about as good and high profile and adept a manager as any international team could hope to get." – Jonny Liu [03:18]

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3. World Cup Apathy: Political & Logistical Factors

Timestamps: [04:09]–[05:29]

• Muted Build-up:

  • World Cup excitement feels unusually low, possibly due to its US location, the Trump administration, immigration concerns, and UK time zone challenges.

    "It doesn't really feel like [the World Cup] at the moment...clearly there being a political context...the matches will be happening late at night here in the UK." – Lucy Hoffman [04:09]

• FIFA-Politics Nexus:

  • The controversial relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump fuels ethical concerns.

• Broader Trend:

  • Liu notes this cyclical apathy before every World Cup, as club football dominates attention.

    "The climax of the season takes up so much oxygen that the World cup almost sort of creeps in under the radar...that's the way it's always been." – Jonny Liu [04:47]

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4. Arsenal’s Historic Victory: Identity and Celebration

Timestamps: [05:29]–[07:36]

• Arsenal Reclaims the Premier League:

  • First title in 22 years prompts mass celebrations, especially notable for their multicultural makeup.

    "It just felt like a celebration of that victory, but also of multiculturalism." – Lucy Hoffman [05:29]

• Piers Morgan’s Remark:

  • Morgan highlighted the diversity of celebration compared to far-right rallies, which Liu finds poignantly true—even if unusually for Morgan.

    "It's probably the most stirring thing Piers Morgan has said since he quit Good Morning Britain." – Jonny Liu [06:05]

• Community & Identity:

  • Liu: Arsenal’s fanbase embodies various identities, feeling both “besieged” and “proud”; football offers belonging, joy, and emotional relief.

    "To be an Arsenal fan is to kind of exist at the locus of all these identities...You feel besieged, but also a sense of pride and huge amount of relief...That's the beauty of football, I guess." – Jonny Liu [06:05]

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5. Arsenal and Diversity: A Lasting Legacy

Timestamps: [07:36]–[08:28]

• Championing Diversity:

  • Arsenal famously pioneered diversity under Arsene Wenger.

    "There's a fantastic book...called Black Arsenal...places Arsenal not just at the heart of black footballing culture, but as a touchstone of black Britain." – Jonny Liu [07:47]

• Global Fanbase:

  • Arsenal’s impact spans continents—street parties in Kenya, Uganda, and Lagos underscore the club’s international reach.

    "It has always been a very outward-looking club...a cosmopolitan, internationalist crowd." – Jonny Liu [08:28]

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6. Football, Politics, and Leadership

Timestamps: [09:00]–[10:39]

• Lessons for Keir Starmer & Labour:

  • With Prime Minister Keir Starmer a lifelong Arsenal fan, Liu draws parallels between Arteta-era Arsenal and political leadership.

  • Success came through unity, inclusive outreach, and difficult, sometimes unpopular, long-term decisions.

    "They've only been able to succeed by every part of the club pulling together...You try to create this club as a broad church, as a roof for everyone's head." – Jonny Liu [09:22]

    "The other part...you do have to be quite ruthless...Arteta's not been shy of taking tough decisions for long-term reasons but have caused pain in the short term." – Jonny Liu [10:10]

    "I think Keir Starmer won't do something if he thinks it'll get him a negative headline in the Daily Mail the next day." – Jonny Liu [10:35]

• Arteta vs. Starmer:

  • Arteta’s decisiveness contrasts with Starmer’s caution regarding public and media backlash.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "His mum has said it's disgusting. Which my boyfriend said was the moment he knew the World cup had truly started."
  – Lucy Hoffman on Harry Maguire’s omission and family response [02:52]

• "Tuchel is about as good and high profile and adept a manager as any international team could hope to get."
  – Jonny Liu [03:18]

• "The World cup almost sort of creeps in under the radar...that's the way it's always been."
  – Jonny Liu [04:47]

• "It felt like a celebration...but also of multiculturalism."
  – Lucy Hoffman [05:29]

• "Probably the most stirring thing Piers Morgan has said since he quit Good morning Britain."
  – Jonny Liu [06:05]

• "To be an Arsenal fan is to kind of exist at the locus of all these different kinds of identities...You feel besieged, but you also feel this sense of pride and huge amount of relief...That's the beauty of football."
  – Jonny Liu [06:05]

• "You try to create this club as a broad church, as a roof for everyone's head."
  – Jonny Liu [09:22]

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Useful Timestamps

• Squad announcement & key omissions: [00:42]–[02:52]
• Tuchel’s selection as manager: [03:18]
• World Cup apathy and US political context: [04:09]–[05:29]
• Arsenal’s victory & multicultural celebrations: [05:29]–[07:36]
• Arsenal, diversity, and global reach: [07:36]–[08:28]
• Political parallels—Arsenal & Labour: [09:00]–[10:39]

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Tone & Style

The conversation balances a witty, conversational tone with sharp analytical insights, mixing humor (especially regarding football fandom and media personalities) with genuine reflection on football’s wider social and political impacts.

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Summary

This episode spotlights a transformative week in English football, encapsulating both the sporting drama of England’s World Cup squad shocks and Arsenal’s long-awaited Premier League triumph. It contextualizes the events within broader narratives—managerial leadership, the sociopolitical landscape of an American-hosted World Cup, and football’s power to unite across divides. Listeners gain both a primer on the controversy and celebration, and thoughtful perspective on what football means in 2026 Britain and beyond.

Transcript

[Lucy Hoffman]

This is the Guardian.

[Podcast Narrator]

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[Jonny Liu]

This World cup will see more people conscientiously not watching it, whether it's ethical reasons or simply because the tournament's too big or for time zone reasons. To be an Arsenal fan is to kind of exist at the locus of all these identities, personalities. You feel besieged, but you also feel this sense of pride and also huge amount of relief, obviously at doing it after 22 years. So I think that's why you, you see these huge outpourings of mass celebration.

[Lucy Hoffman]

A number of big names have been dropped from England's World cup squad ahead of this summer's tournament, capping off a historic week in British football which saw Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. From the Guardians today in Focus, this is the latest. With me, Lucy Hoffman. Well, joining me is Jonny Liu, Guardian sports columnist. Thanks for joining us, Jonny. In such a massive week for football, particularly if you're an Arsenal or an Aston Villa fan who've won big trophies, but also because we've had the World cup squad announced this morning, can I ask for a bit of a sort of idiot's guide here? As someone whose interest in football peaks during these big summer tournaments every couple of years, but then wanes in the interim periods?

[Jonny Liu]

Couple of surprises. I mean, I think the, the major omissions, you might say are Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander, Arnold, Harry Maguire, all kind of mainstays of previous squads, all big names and, and all dropped by Thomas Tuchel. I mean, not hugely surprising in the sense that he hasn't really used them a huge amount in recent months. Palm has been injured, Foden has been, been out of, out of form, Trent Alexander, Ronald just, he just doesn't like him really. He just doesn't like him as, as a, his profile as a player. He's, he sort of voiced concerns about his, his defensive capabilities. And Harry Maguire, you know, famously came to prominence in the, in the 2018 World Cup. That's where a lot of fans will, will have come across him for the first time a real stalwart of the England defense. But he's been left out in favor, I guess, of younger, more, more mobile defenders. I Don't think he would be first choice. And I think he sort of vented about it on social media.

[Lucy Hoffman]

His mum has said it's disgusting. Which my boyfriend said was the moment he knew the World cup had truly started. But, yeah, it sounds like this has gone down very badly in the Maguire household. Obviously, the last time that we had a World cup, we had Gareth Southgate as manager, who's become this great national treasure. But we've now got a new manager in Thomas Tuchel. Why was he chosen and does he improve England's chances, do you think, as we approach the contest in a few

[Jonny Liu]

weeks time, I think Tuchel is about as good and high profile and adept a manager as any international team could, could hope to get around that time. You know, obviously we see Carlo Ancelotti taking on Brazil. Lots of talk that Pep Guardiola, who's just left Manchester City, will take on an international job next. But in terms of, you know, the pool that England had to pick from in 2024 after Southgate left, Tuchel is, is about as high pedigree a coach as you can imagine. Champions League winner, You know, obviously, you know, being German, I think his nationality was a little bit of an issue with some fans and some pundits at the start, but I think he's won over a huge amount of those doubters. He clearly loves English football, the Premier League and results, you know, while they've been up and down, a lot of the friendly results have pretty poor, to be honest. I think the public is still stuck with him.

[Lucy Hoffman]

So, Jonny, we're now about 20 days until the tournament starts, but it doesn't really feel like it at the moment. I wonder if you agree and I wonder if part of that is happening in the United States. Clearly there being a political context to that, that there is a Trump administration. People may have immigration concerns about traveling to the US at the moment. It means the matches will be happening late at night here in the UK. But also the closeness of FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino to Trump, who presented him with the controversial FIFA Peace Prize. Do you think that context has stymied any of the enthusiasm?

[Jonny Liu]

I think that's true to a certain extent. You know, I think this World cup will see more people, you know, conscientiously not watching it than before, whether it's for, for ethical reasons or simply because the tournament's too big or, or for time zone reasons. But it's important to, to point out that these kind of, these kind of qualms arise before every World Cup. You know, it gets to, it gets to May and people go like, ah, the World Cup's in a few weeks. It, it's just, it just doesn't feel big. Where's the hype? And it's obviously because club football, the, and the big leagues and the Champions League, the climax of the season takes up so much oxygen that the World cup almost sort of creeps in under the radar. And that's the way it's always been.

[Lucy Hoffman]

Well, that has been no truer than this week with these astonishing. Well, the historic victory from Arsenal winning its first Premier League in 22 years and those very beautiful scenes outside the Emirates on Tuesday night. I think just, it felt like a celebration of that victory, but also of multiculturalism. I was struck to feel moved by something coming out of the mouth of Piers Morgan for the first time. I think it's safe to say when he said he felt it was more people that were there than were at Tommy Robinson. The far right activists unite the Kingdom rally last weekend. And that feels true. What do you think of that?

[Jonny Liu]

Well, yeah, it's probably the most moving thing, the most stirring thing Piers Morgan said since he quit Good morning Britain. But, you know, all joking aside, you know, I live very close to the Emirates Stadium. There were people sort of streaming past my front door late on Tuesday night. And, you know, I'm not an Arsenal fan, but I know lots of people who are. And like any football club, it gives you a sense of identity and belonging. And I think this is particularly true in terms of Arsenal given the fact that it's, it's a club, it's a London club, in such a diverse and multi ethnic area, an area that's seen so much flux and change over the last 20 years. An area that, let's face it, is often derided by other parts of the country. You know, Islington is kind of used as a slur or an insult amongst, you know, large parts of the right wing media. So I think to be an Arsenal fan is to kind of exist at the locus of all these different kind of identities, personalities. You feel besieged, but you also feel this sense of pride and also huge amount of relief, obviously at doing it after 22 years. So I think that's why you see these huge outpourings of mass celebration that the need to go and seek out other people. And yeah, I mean, it was one of those scenes where it didn't matter whether you're a season ticket holder or, you know, a platinum member or a red member, or you're just watching it in the pub or the telly at home or you're an online fan. All of these kind of tribal divisions, internal divisions, didn't seem to make any, don't seem to make any difference. That's the, that's the beauty of football, I guess.

[Lucy Hoffman]

But I suppose the particularity of Arsenal as well, in terms of how pioneering it was in championing diversity 20 years ago under Arsene Wenger and the legacy that's given the club.

[Jonny Liu]

Yeah, I mean, there's a fantastic book that came out a couple of years ago called Black Arsenal. Sort of an anthology of essays and reminiscences that places Arsenal not just at the heart of black footballing culture, but as a touchstone of black Britain. Certainly in an era in the 80s and 90s where black players and certainly black fans were not always welcome at all clubs in England.

[Lucy Hoffman]

Which speaks to why, you know, you have Zoran Mandani wearing his Arsenal scarf at a press conference in New York this week. But you've also had street parties in Kenya and Uganda and Lagos. It, it just shows how massive a global powerhouse cultural export the Premier League has become, doesn't it?

[Jonny Liu]

Yeah, it really does. You know, the big clubs are, you know, they're as followed, they're following every continent on the globe, you know, and they are kind of multinational brands. It's been one of the great economic sort of soft power success stories of Britain in the last 30 years. And Arsenal, I think they do attract a very cosmopolitan, internationalist crowd. It has always been a very outward looking club in terms of its influences and the people that it chooses to appoint and the people that it appeals to.

[Lucy Hoffman]

And just lastly, Johnny, I mean, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer is a lifelong Arsenal supporter. This week will have brought him some rare joy and good news with their victory. I'm just wondering if you think there's anything that he could learn from the leadership of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, or that the Labour Party more broadly could learn from the turnaround in Arsenal's fortunes as a team.

[Jonny Liu]

Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting question. I mean, I guess a couple of things really. I mean, football clubs at this very rarefied level of achievement, Arsenal, they're not the richest club in Britain. They haven't won for 22 years. There's a weight of history there. They are almost expected to fail. They've only really been able to succeed by every part of the club pulling together in the same direction, creating as broad a church as possible. You know, you get the fan base on side and, and you get the, you know, you try and, and reach out to fans that have maybe been disaffected in the past. You do that through, you know, through social media. You do that through, through ticketing or you do that through the media. You try and create this, this club as a broad church, as a roof for everyone's head. And yeah, the other part of it is you do also have to be quite, quite ruthless, you know, have to, you know, Mark Mikel Arteta has not been shy of taking tough decisions, you know, unpopular decisions that, that have been taken for long term reasons but have caused them a lot of pain in the short term. You know, Arteta jettisoned a really successful goalkeeper in Aaron Ramsdale. You know, he's, he's jettisoned club legends and players that have been in the club for years and years and very popular with fans. I think Keir Starmer won't do something if he thinks it'll get him a negative headline in the Daily Mail the next day.

[Lucy Hoffman]

Yeah. And doesn't sound like Arteta would be forced into a U turn in their Starmer model of things. Jonny, thank you so much for your time.

[Podcast Narrator]

Cheers.

[Lucy Hoffman]

That's it for today. My huge thanks again to Jonathan Liu, Guardian sports writer and columnist. You can keep up with his work [e-mail] and do head over to our sister podcast Football Weekly for more in depth coverage of the club finals and this week. And they'll be going daily for the whole of the World Cup. Thanks for listening to this episode of the latest Today in Focus. We'll be back in your feeds as usual on Monday morning. The latest will be back on Monday night. This episode was presented by me, Lucy Hoff. It was produced by Bryony Moore. The senior producer was Ryan Ramgobin.

[Kai Wright]

I'm Kai Wright.

[Kari Sherman]

I'm Kari Sherman.

[Kai Wright]

And we are here to tell you about our new show, which is rooted in this feeling that at least I have. I know you have, where, you know, it's kind of like when you wake up in the morning and you pick up your phone and you're just hit in the face with a fire hose of news, right?

[Kari Sherman]

Like there's war, there's authoritarianism. Our planet is burning. I could go on and on and

[Kai Wright]

on and on and on and on. But like, we're trying to figure out how to manage it, right? Like, how do you manage it?

[Kari Sherman]

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[Kai Wright]

And who can tell me who's responsible for the mess that I'm reading about? So that's our mission. That's the show.

[Kari Sherman]

Welcome to Stateside with Kai and Carter. We're a new show from the Guardian.

[Kai Wright]

We're talking to big thinkers and the best journalists just trying to understand the world through smart conversation and honest reporting.

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[Kari Sherman]

Follow on Apple Podcasts or catch us wherever you watch or listen.

[Lucy Hoffman]

This is the Guardian.

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