Rooney backs Palmer over Madueke for England World Cup squad
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes Chelsea's Cole Palmer should have been selected for England's World Cup squad instead of Arsenal's Noni Madueke. During his BBC show, Rooney argued Palmer would serve as superior backup for Bukayo Saka, noting Madueke hasn't performed well enough this season to warrant selection. England manager Thomas Tuchel defended his decision to exclude Palmer, citing lack of form and insufficient impact when called upon. Palmer hasn't scored in three matches since Tuchel's arrival in 2025 and missed significant World Cup qualifiers due to injuries. Tuchel stated Palmer 'suffered from deficiency in individual form' and 'was not particularly impactful when called upon.' With the tournament approaching, do you think squad selections should prioritize current form over reputation when choosing backups for star players?