Both Leeds United stars had held out hope of getting the nod
14:41, 22 May 2026Updated 14:46, 22 May 2026
Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the international friendly match between England and Uruguay at Wembley Stadium
Daniel Farke says Leeds United will benefit from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach not receiving international call-ups for the World Cup but on a personal level is naturally disappointed that the duo did not get the nod.
Thomas Tuchel decided against including Calvert-Lewin in his England squad while Stach did not make Juilan Nagelsmann’s Germany cohort, albeit this is not to do with his ankle injury.
Noah Okafor of Switzerland and Gabriel Gudmundsson of Sweden – out with muscle injuries for the final day showdown at West Ham – have made the cut for their respective nations, as has Ao Tanaka of Japan.
Calvert-Lewin and Stach have been integral parts of Leeds’ quest towards survival, and Farke is quietly pleased both will get a rest over the summer. That said, he feels for the duo on a personal level.
Farke explained: “We are all a bit disappointed for Anton and Dominic, who were hoping for call ups. This is sometimes what you have to deal with.
“Of course, both of them were disappointed not to be there, but as great human beings, they were straight away supportive for England and Germany.
“I would have liked for them [to go] because I feel for them as human beings that they would be involved with the World Cup. [But] selfishly, I think it’s also perhaps even a bit beneficial [they don’t go].
“Dominic has played the whole first season after difficult seasons and now, it’s like a break for his body and his head, instead of more pressure with the World Cup, [which] will help him.
“He then will have the whole of pre-season as well after recharging – and the same for Anton, who’s played an outstanding first season in English football.
“I think he’s right now also a bit exhausted and tired, and also the break and holiday will be also important for him.
“So from a selfish point of view, it’s even a bit beneficial. But, of course, the first reaction was they would have hoped that they would be included.”
Farke said he was “delighted” that his other three players have been called up to their respective countries and insisted that he was not playing cautiously with the injured Gudmundsson and Okafor in regards to recovery ahead of West Ham given their World Cup tickets.
He stated: “I wasn’t extra cautious not to push them, because I also know how much it means for the national team coaches that they want them back as soon as possible.
“They want game time and minutes in the last competitive games, and for that we tried everything to bring them back. But the injuries have sadly not allowed this.
“It was not like we were precautious, it was more or less the other round. We wanted to try to bring them back, but without doing anything stupid. It was not possible to include them during this week.”
In other injury news, Pascal Struijk is back in training after missing Sunday’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion with a hip issue while Sean Longstaff is out after hernia surgery. Ilia Gruev misses out with his long-term knee injury.