Last July, during the Premier League Summer Series, a collection of friendlies leading into the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Manchester United left back Luke Shaw opened up. Ahead of the exhbition match against AFC Bournemouth in Chicago, Shaw met the media on a 100 degrees Fahrenheit day and discussed a wide range of topics, including his notorious injury history and his prolific international career. As Shaw pointed out, whenever England has a very big match, he is always selected to the team.
England National Team manager Thomas Tuchel will soon make his final cuts (they’ll be announced on Friday), for the 2026 World Cup, as he decides which 26 players he’ll be taking him to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester United FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Aug 24, 4pm, Falmer Stadium, Brighton & Hove, UK
Premier League Position: Manchester United- clinched 3rd place Brighton- 7th, eliminated from UCL qualification but in line for UEL qualifying
Google Result Probability: Manchester United win 36% Draw 24% Brighton win 50%
There are currently 55 in contention to make the squad right now, including Luke Shaw. While he was a critical part of their 2024 Euro squad, Shaw was not a part of the Three Lions team in 2025.
That was due to the awful, injury-riddled season he endured in 2024-25, a campaign that Shaw described as “horrible” and “one to forget.” This season, however, has been the polar opposite. Ahead of the 38th and final league fixture of the season on Sunday, Luke Shaw is the only United player have started all of the previous 37.
Yesterday saw him score his first goal for United in more than three years, and after the match United Interim Manager (he’ll soon have that “Interim” label removed) Michael Carrick was asked by the media if Shaw’s made his case to get in the England squad.
“I certainly think so, yeah,” Carrick responded.
“I haven’t got much sway in the matter at all, but I certainly think so. Again, the consistency, just what he’s capable of doing, the performance, the experience, his strengths, his attributes that he’s got.
“For me, he’s a fantastic full-back.”
Carrick was then asked to comment on Shaw’s durability and health/fitness this season.
“I think it’s difficult for anybody to do to be honest,” Michael Carrick answered.
“When there’s so many games it’s not an easy thing to be able to, sometimes it’s no fault of your own. Unfortunately injuries are part of football and there’s other things that come into play. So to start every game is really fantastic.
“Next season is a new season, there’s different types of runs of game so that’s part of adapting but then he’ll be a little bit older and experience in knowing your body and managing things.”
Carrick continued on adding more praise for Shaw, and additional rationale for his defender’s inclusion in the cup squad.
“He’s at that stage now where he’s got an awful lot of experience, he’s been here for a long time, he knows the club, he know what it feels like, he knowns the ups and he’s suffered some of the more challenging times. So next season I think his experience will be valuable, however many games he plays.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.