(Credit: Imago)

Jacob Raw

Mon 18 May 2026 21:10, UK

Leeds United star Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been relentless in front of goal this season, and he’s surely given Thomas Tuchel no other option over his England squad this summer.

The Whites signed off their games at Elland Road for this season with a win, as Calvert-Lewin grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time finish to secure three points from Brighton.

Daniel Farke only welcomed the 28-year-old to LS11 in the summer, and his form over the course of the season earned him a call-up to England’s squad during the March international break.

Thomas Tuchel planned to send the number nine home after one game, and that’s what’s happened, but after consistently scoring for Leeds, the England boss may have no other choice for this year’s World Cup squad.

The Three Lions will confirm their squad for the World Cup this Friday, and Tuchel may not be able to avoid Calvert-Lewin any longer after his recent goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin joint-highest scoring Englishman in Premier League this season

Calvert-Lewin’s late finish against Brighton saw him get in the book for an excessive celebration, but one that perfectly captured what the star’s season has been like.

It’s been 12 months of redemption for the former Everton man, as Leeds seemed to be one of the only clubs willing to give him another chance in the Premier League.

Calvert-Lewin has bagged three in his last three Premier League games, taking him to 14 for the season, and 15 for all competitions.

It’s his second-highest goal tally in his career for a single season, only currently bettered by the 2020-21 campaign he had with Everton.

The striker is now the joint-highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season with 14 goals, and nobody from this country has scored more than him.

That surely has to say something to Tuchel, with Harry Kane the only other English striker in the world outperforming him, factoring in the quality of leagues across Europe.

Thomas Tuchel will take three strikers to North America

England are one Kane injury away from looking a completely weaker side, but Calvert-Lewin has shown that he can lead a line perfectly for a time with high expectations.

Ollie Watkins is the Leeds star’s only other direct competition, but even then, it should be in Tuchel’s best interests to take three number nines with him on the plane to North America.

For all of Kane’s world-class ability, Calvert-Lewin is better than him in the air, and is arguably the only Englishman who will literally put his body on the line to find the back of the net.

Chances just seem to come to him, and if you had the choice of Watkins or the Leeds talisman to come off the bench for a goal, the latter is the wiser option, all things considered.

Let’s see if the England boss agrees with that later this week.