Morgan Rogers Shows Loyalty to Cole Palmer With Stinging Takedown of ‘Lie’
Morgan Rogers has brandished the idea of Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer not wanting to play for England as a “lie” and “nonsense.”
Palmer’s rise was meteoric after he joined the Blues from Manchester City in 2023, thriving in Mauricio Pochettino’s sole season with the club. The impish playmaker notched a staggering 33 goal contributions in as many Premier League games, and 24 the following season.
The 24-year-old made his England debut during his breakout campaign in west London, but has struggled to establish himself as a protagonist on the international stage, despite scoring the equalizing goal off the bench in the Euro 2024 final, which England lost 2–1 to Spain.
An injury-hit 2025–26 season meant Palmer was omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s roster for the World Cup, and the German has since lamented his “missed opportunities.” Palmer withdrew from the September–October camp due to injury and was snubbed by Tuchel in November.
However, teammate Rogers categorically denies that Palmer isn’t interested in representing his country.
Morgan Rogers Comes to Cole Palmer’s Staunch Defense Over England Status
Rogers opened the scoring for England in their 2–1 victory over Croatia on Thursday evening. Chelsea’s record signing was subsequently asked post-match about Palmer’s commitment to England, or the perceived lack thereof.
“It’s a lie,” Rogers told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He wants to be here. He wanted to get called up, and he wanted to come and represent his country as he always has done. People just see it as news and say the easy thing.”
Rogers also backed Palmer’s decision to pull out of previous camps, suggesting it was smart from a preservation perspective.
“He wants to play for 10-15 years; he also has to manage himself. If he has to manage himself in the short term for the greater good, then he has to do that, and you have to fully support it. It has nothing to do with England or not wanting to play with England. It’s a nonsense really that people are questioning someone that wants to play for England,” the former Aston Villa star added.
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Palmer has enjoyed a productive start to the new season, scoring three times and recording three assists in 10 league outings. He’s particularly relished linking up with his good friend Rogers, who spent years together in City’s academy, and João Pedro.
However, his uptick wasn’t enough to convince Tuchel, who prioritized the selection of those he trusts and were available for the previous camp.
“It matters what you do in camp,” the England manager said. “The last camp was an excellent one, so the trust and belief is on the players who were there.”
Instead of picking Palmer, Tuchel pivoted to Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham, who earned his first call-up to the senior team, and Fulham’s Josh King, who was involved in the pre-World Cup training camp.
How Tuchel Responded to Rogers’ Palmer Defense
The occasionally spiky England manager had no issues with Rogers’ comments, saying in reply: “It’s totally fine. He’s his teammate and friend, so why wouldn’t he?
“I was very happy with the commitment of Morgan Rogers and that’s what matters.”
Unlike his predecessor, Tuchel isn’t afraid of making bold selection calls to satisfy the collective. While Sir Gareth Southgate struggled to balance and appease his collection of standout playmakers toward the end of his tenure, Tuchel has previously left Jude Bellingham out of camps, overlooked Phil Foden and now Palmer.
The German insists it’s “nothing personal” with Palmer, who has been unavailable due to injury on five separate occasions since Tuchel took the reins. His frustration is understandable, as is his loss of faith in the playmaker despite his good start to the new season.
The 24-year-old has played under Tuchel just three times.
