Uncapped defender included in 23-man England squad for the World Cup
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has been included in England's 23-man squad for the World Cup, the Football Association has announced.
Manager Gareth Southgate has also named Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph and Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope in his intended group for this summer's tournament in Russia.
As had been widely speculated upon, Southgate decided against selecting City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has spent the past year on loan at West Ham, or Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.
Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek has earned selection after season on loan at Crystal Palace, but there is no place for Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand.
Tottenham's Danny Rose and Ashley Young of Manchester United were the chosen left-backs, while Delph, who has impressed in that position this season for City, can also cover the position.
Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill has been given a place, while Pope will join Everton's Jordan Pickford and Stoke's Jack Butland as the squad's keepers.
The inclusion of Cahill, who was dropped by Southgate in March and may not have made the cut had Joe Gomez been fit, was met with a lukewarm reaction.
Dennis Wise, one of Cahill's predecessors as Chelsea captain, told Sky Sports News: "He's an experienced campaigner and someone you'd like to think would be very helpful towards the younger ones.
"On his overall performances over the year, it hasn't been fantastic. He's been in and out and struggled at times.
"This is Gareth showing a lot of trust in an older campaigner. If it's on total form this year he hasn't been on good form, unfortunately."
Former England defneder Sol Campbell was pleased to see Delph included, despite his last England cap coming in 2015.
The versatile midfielder was a Premier League title winner with City this season and Campbell believes the environment at the Etihad Stadium could have tipped the balance in his favour.
"He's been in a top, top side at Manchester City, with Pep (Guardiola) and the whole thing that comes with it," Campbell said on Sky Sports News.
"If you're training against those kind of players week in, week out you can only benefit. It elevates your skill factor. When you get to a big tournament you're not going to be surprised.
"He's done well, getting tackles, he's very mobile, gets around and he's been in high pressure scenarios in the Champions League."
Phil Jones was selected alongside Cahill in defence, but there was no place for his United team-mate Chris Smalling. John Stones and Harry Maguire were the other specialist centre-backs, but midfielder Eric Dier can also play there.
The main strikers were Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy and Danny Welbeck, with further attacking options coming from Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Loftus-Cheek.
The selection of Alexander-Arnold, 19, comes after some fine performances in Liverpool's run to the Champions League final.
He joins Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier as right-backs in the squad, but his inclusion suggests Walker could be utilised in a more central role.
Southgate does not have to formally submit his squad list to World Cup organisers FIFA until June 4. He has, therefore, put five additional players on standby to come in in case of injuries.
They are Tom Heaton and James Tarkowski of Burnley, Lewis Cook of Bournemouth, West Brom's Jake Livermore and Liverpool's Adam Lallana.
The squad are due to begin training together next week, but players from Manchester United and Chelsea, who are involved in the FA Cup final, and Champions League finalists Liverpool will be given extra time off.
England begin their World Cup campaign against Tunisia on June 18 and play further group games against Panama and Belgium.
Prior to that they have friendlies against Nigeria at Wembley and Costa Rica at Elland Road on June 2 and June 7 respectively.
England's record cap holder, Peter Shilton, thinks Alexander-Arnold's maiden call-up may be a hint to a future role in the side rather than an immediate one in Russia.
"It's been a bit of a rise over this season," he said on Sky Sports News.
"Gareth has an eye on doing well in the World Cup, but also an eye on the future. If you're good enough, you're old enough...that's the old saying.
"He doesn't look over fazed by any occasion, but, saying that, the World Cup is a bit special. It's really a test, it's pressure.
"You know the whole world and whole country is looking at you, not just your club.
"But he's a good inclusion, he's one of the players for the future."
Butland (Stoke), Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley); Jones (Man Utd), Cahill (Chelsea), Walker (Man City), Trippier (Tottenham), Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Rose (Tottenham), Young (Man Utd), Stones (Man City), Maguire (Leicester); Dier (Tottenham), Henderson (Liverpool), Delph (Man City), Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Lingard (Man Utd), Alli (Tottenham); Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Man Utd), Vardy (Leicester), Sterling (Man City), Welbeck (Arsenal).
