The Real Madrid defender, who appeared most recently for England against Andorra in June 2025, is the highest-profile absentee from Thomas Tuchel's 35-man party, with the Three Lions boss urging his players to grasp their last opportunity to impress before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

There is also no place in the squad for Luke Shaw or Ollie Watkins, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke called in as back-up centre-forward options to captain Harry Kane.

Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo return for the Three Lions, as does AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, but the Chelsea duo of Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are absent through injury.

"I know it's a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw," Tuchel said.

"These tough decisions come with the job. It's a sporting decision. We stick with [Jarell] Quansah, [Tino] Livramento and [Djed] Spence.

"It's a decision for Solanke and Calvert-Lewin, who I don't know as well as Watkins. I have a clear picture of what he can give us. I want to have a look at other players to get a clearer picture.

"I know it's a big name, a huge talent and a big career. But I know what Trent can give us.

"It's our last camp [before the FIFA World Cup]. The last opportunity to impress and the last opportunity for players to compete for their ticket."

The expanded squad will be split into two camps, with Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka among 11 players who will link up with their team-mates after the Uruguay game on 28 March (AEDT).

Marc Guehi, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Elliot Anderson, Nico O'Reilly and Dean Henderson are the other players who will arrive in time to face Japan four days later.

"These guys have played 3,500 minutes, some 4,000 minutes," Tuchel explained. "More important than the pure number of minutes is some of these guys have played more minutes than the whole of last season.

"All of these players have contributed in September, October and November. They have credit with me. To give them a break mentally and physically, we will benefit from it."

Everton midfielder James Garner could earn his first cap after an impressive season with the Toffees, while Brighton and Hove Albion's Jason Steele is the other uncapped player in the squad, although the latter, who has not played a Premier League game since August 2024, is included with a view to potentially adopting a non-playing role at the FIFA World Cup.

"[Steele] will support the goalkeeper group. He will support the goalkeeper coach," Tuchel revealed. "He will support a penalty-taking group and take a lot of workload off the other shoulders. That's why we need an experienced guy.

"Nobody is on the plane to America, but we identified Jason to be a very good candidate for this role. The trial is now the March camp."

ENGLAND SQUAD

Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Aaron Ramsdale, Jason Steele; Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Harry Maguire, Nico O'Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori; Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, James Garner, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Adam Wharton; Jarrod Bowen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke.