Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford has been named in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad as England manager.

Rashford last played for England in a friendly against Brazil in March 2024 but has impressed since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United in January.

Newcastle defender Dan Burn and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly are in line for debuts after receiving their first call up.

England start their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup with a double-header at Wembley against Albania and Latvia on Friday, 21 and Monday, 24 March respectively (both 19:45 GMT kick-offs).

Tuchel has also recalled a senior figure with Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson in the 26-man squad.

Henderson, 34, made his senior debut for the national side under the last non-English manager – Fabio Capello – in 2010 and last featured against Malta in November 2023.

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah are hoping to win their first caps for the senior side.

Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke returned from two months out injured on Sunday, playing the full game in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

Rashford is yet to score at Villa but has chipped in with four assists as he seeks to get his career back on track.

The 27-year-old has won 60 caps for England, scoring eight goals, but fell out of favour with then manager Gareth Southgate following a drop-off in form at Manchester United.

“Marcus is on a good way, we thought now we were convinced that it is the right time to push him with his nomination,” Tuchel told England’s media channel.

“He has had a huge impact lately for Aston Villa. I was delighted to see his effort against the ball, his effort to be the best team-mate possible, his consistent energy in defence with Aston Villa.

“There is no doubt about his talent and quality but to see him be so decisive and so involved physically gave me the impression it was the right moment to call him up and give him the extra push that he stays on that level.”

Rashford sat out 12 successive games for Manchester United before agreeing to spend the second half of the campaign at Villa, with United manager Ruben Amorim suggesting he would rather select 63-year-old goalkeeping Jorge Vital.

He was omitted from the Euro 2024 squad, where England were beaten in the final by Spain, while he also missed out on the 2024-25 Nations League campaign.

In 2020, Tuchel, who was in charge of Paris St-Germain, called Rashford a “big threat” and joked he was a “bit annoying” before a match against Manchester United in the Champions League.

Villa team-mate Watkins has delivered strong figures at club level this campaign with 14 goals and 12 assists to help Villa reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League and FA Cup.

But he suffered a minor knee injury during the 3-0 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Solanke, who has scored seven times in 19 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, is preferred as support to England’s leading marksman Harry Kane.

Henderson left Liverpool in the summer of 2023, initially joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq before moving on to Ajax.

The midfielder, who has won 81 caps for the national side, has turned out 38 times across all competitions for Ajax this term.

His inclusion means there is no space for 21-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who made his England debut in March 2023 and was part of Southgate’s squad at Euro 2024, although he was unable to add to his one and only cap.

Wharton missed three months of this season with a thigh injury but has been playing regularly for the Eagles since returning at the start of February.

Tuchel has given four players the opportunity to win their first cap, with Burn, Lewis-Skelly, Trafford and Quansah all looking to impress.

Burn, unlike the other three, has had a long wait for his maiden call-up following some consistent performances for Newcastle.

The 32-year-old began his professional career with non-league side Darlington and spent time with Fulham, Yeovil, Birmingham, Wigan and Brighton before joining the Magpies in 2022.

“[It’s an] incredible moment for Dan, and there’s no-one more deserving in my opinion,” said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

“He came in during our relegation battle. He’s just such an inspiring guy, but also a talented player.

“It’s one of the great football stories, one of the great comebacks, someone who had to do it the real hard way, coming through the leagues, dedicated, professional, a leader, an inspirational figure.”

Lewis-Skelly, 18, only made his senior competitive debut for Arsenal in September but has emerged as a significant player the Gunners.

He has primarily been deployed at left-back but can also operate in midfield and has made 25 appearances this season.

Trafford and Quansah have both previously been called up to England squads but are yet to make an appearance.

Phil McNulty, chief football writer

Tuchel has wasted no time in putting his personal stamp on his first squad with some eye-catching selections.

The headline is a recall for Rashford, an outcast at Manchester United after the appointment of head coach Amorim but enjoying a renaissance under the expert guidance of Unai Emery on loan at Aston Villa.

Rashford’s career had come to a dead stop at United but his revival at Villa, where he has helped them to reach the Champions League quarter-final and the last eight of the FA Cup, has convinced Tuchel the talented 27-year-old has something to offer his new England.

The past few months have represented a fresh start for Rashford at Villa. Now he will be hoping the same will happen with England.

The recall of Henderson is, if anything, an even bigger surprise given he is 35 in June and last played for England in November 2023. He had an ill-fated move to Saudi Arabia after leaving Liverpool, before returning to Europe with Ajax.

Henderson is hardly one for the future but Tuchel believes he can offer leadership and experience. The recall, however, is still a major shock.

Tuchel has to find a solution to England’s left-back dilemma and this means a call-up for Arsenal’s gifted teenager Lewis-Skelly, while another first timer in an England squad, Newcastle United’s Burn, has also figured in that position.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)