
Having all had successful seasons, Anderson, Branthwaite, Gittens, Hall, and Jones will be trying to make an impression on Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the England national team.
In March of this year, Thomas Tuchel will make his first squad announcement ahead of England’s first World Cup 26 qualifiers, marking the official start of his tenure as England’s manager.
The former coach of Chelsea and Bayern Munich is now anticipating the FIFA World Cup 26 qualifying window in March.
Tuchel will have to choose his starting lineup before the Three Lions host Albania and Latvia in those first qualifiers.
Some of the young players that the German coach is likely to call up are listed below.
• This season, Nuno Espirito Santo has a new midfield position to work with thanks to Nottingham Forest’s move from a five-back formation to one with four defenders. Anderson does a fantastic job filling that position.
Anderson, who is usually used in one of two deep-sitting positions, combines an all-action work rate with deft dribbling and close control to get past opponents and put Forest ahead. Although the 22-year-old has occasionally played on either wing and higher up, Tuchel might benefit most from having him in the middle.
• Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite— This amazing center-back has drawn attention since emerging as a regular at the beginning of the 2023–2024 season. His breakthrough season was highlighted by an England debut in a friendly victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in June 2024.
The 22-year-old will have every chance of winning Tuchel’s admiration because of his skill with the ball, ability to play on the left of a three or in a two-man defensive partnership, and combination of height, speed, two-footedness, and strong defensive intelligence.
• Jamie Gittens of Borrusia Dortmund— Gittens, a left winger, is advancing with the German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund. This season, the 20-year-old has already played a personal-best 1,519 minutes across all competitions, and he will undoubtedly be looking to increase that number with international minutes.
Gittens has drawn many comparisons to fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho since leaving Manchester City for Dortmund. Similar to his former teammate, Gittens is a very skilled dribbler who also has a quick burst of speed and coolness in front of goal, which has helped him score nine goals this season.
• Lewis Hall of Newcastle United— Tuchel, who gave the 20-year-old his Chelsea debut at the age of 17, will benefit from Hall’s timely rise on the left side of Newcastle’s defense.
During his Chelsea youth, Hall played as a left winger, a central midfielder, and a left-back. However, he has settled into the latter position with Newcastle. The technical proficiency he acquired while playing further up the field has served him well, as he’s laid on three assists for team-mates so far this season, while his 1v1 defending has come on leaps and bounds.
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Hall, who made his Three Lions debut in November 2024, might be the obvious choice at left-back given Luke Shaw’s injury struggles.
• Curtis Jones, Liverpool— Another player who is having his best season to date is Jones, a mainstay in Arne Slot’s revamped Reds system, playing advanced midfield.
Jones has combined a calm possession game in the attack, strong off-the-ball running, and a combative style in the defensive third this season. His three league goals this season are already a personal joint-best, demonstrating his impressive goal-scoring form. He carried that scoring ability into his November 2024 national team debut, scoring a memorable goal in a 3-0 victory over Greece.