Football seems somewhat relentless nowadays, such is the nature of the sport in the modern era. Having just come off a summer of the Club World Cup, players have gone straight into a Premier League season knowing that there is the FIFA World Cup to think about next summer. Whilst that is obviously exciting for the players, it does also mean that they have to be careful during the season for fear of picking up an injury that might keep them out of it. Chelsea have players of numerous different nationalities who will be hoping to head to the United States of America, but which ones might be playing for the Three Lions?
Reece James
When Thomas Tuchel announced his squad for the September international break, the only player from Chelsea whose name was written down by the German was that of Reece James. The Three Lions went into the qualifiers with a 100% record, having notched up a four-point lead in Group K. They then defeated Andorra 2-0 and beat ten-man Serbia 5-0 to all but ensure their presence in the World Cup next summer. James started both matches for Tuchel, helping the England team to keep successive clean sheets and give supporters some hope for the main event.
James has represented England internationally from the youth level through, including when the Young Lions defeated Ivory Coast to retain the Toulon Tournament. His senior debut came on the fifth of October 2020, replacing Raheem Sterling in Gareth Southgate’s squad and coming on for Kieran Trippier in a 3-0 friendly victory against Wales. Sadly, his opportunities with the England senior setup have been hampered by injuries, with the player hoping that he’ll be able to stay fit enough to make it to the World Cup next summer. The fact that Tuchel seems to have faith in him is a great first step.
Cole Palmer
The main reason why Reece James was the only Chelsea player called up by Thomas Tuchel in September’s international break was that Cole Palmer was injured. The attacking midfielder, who was signed by the Blues from Manchester City on a seven-year contract in the summer of 2023, will be nailed on to appear for the Three Lions if he’s fit enough to do so. Although he played nearly 20 league games for City, Pep Guardiola simply couldn’t find a place for him in his squad, which is why he sanctioned a move worth around £40 million to a side that is ostensibly a rival, making his debut on the second of September.
Even before joining Chelsea, Palmer was considered to be an important player for England. He got his senior call-up on the 13th of November 2023, having already played for various youth teams. His debut came four days later, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Malta. He was also in the squad that played in the European Championship in 2024, scoring his first goal for the Three Lions in a pre-tournament friendly before coming on as a sub in the final group game. He appeared a few more times as England made it to the final, scoring the equaliser before the eventual loss to Spain.
Levi Colwill
As with Reece James, the only thing that is likely to stop Levi Colwill from playing for the Three Lions in next summer’s World Cup is the player’s own fitness. Having been at Chelsea since he joined the Under-9s, Colwill made his way through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and gained some experience playing on loan at both Huddersfield Town and Brighton & Hove Albion. He did so well at Brighton, in fact, that the Seagulls tried to sign him, but Chelsea were determined to keep hold of him and instead he signed a new six-year contract with the Blues in the August of 2023.
The point at which he signed his new contract also represented his return to the Chelsea squad, playing. Numerous times but having to undergo surgery for an ACL injury in the August of 2025. That will obviously see him miss most of the 2025-2026 campaign, but he will have an aim of getting back in time to convince Thomas Tuchel that he’s worth taking to the United States of America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It obviously can’t be called a race against time at this stage, but there will be a desire from the player himself to be fit as soon as possible with the tournament looming ever closer.
Trevoh Chalobah
If you wanted to be particularly churlish, you could question whether Trevoh Chalobah can really be considered a Chelsea player, given the fact that he has spent more time on loan than he has actually playing for the Blues. One thing that can’t be questioned, however, is that he is on Chelsea’s books and has been since he was an eight-year-old. Born in Sierra Leone, he was a two-year-old when he moved to England and grew up in the London Borough of Lambeth. Having made his way through the Chelsea youth system, Antonio Conte thought he was a top defender.
Set to make his #ThreeLions debut tonight: @TrevohChalobah! 🏴 pic.twitter.com/7mX1ObdJSG
— England (@England) June 10, 2025
In fact, the Italian put him on the bench for the FA Cup final in 2018, albeit not using him as Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0. His first loan came to Ipswich Town, with Huddersfield Town, French side Lorient and Crystal Palace all taking him on a temporary basis over the years. He has represented England at various stages, from the Under-16 side through to the Under-20s and captaining them all at one point or another. His first senior call-up came in the May of 2025, suggesting that Thomas Tuchel also rates him enough to have a look at him and now he’ll want to prove his worth ahead of the World Cup.