Yesterday's unremarkable 1-0 friendly win against New Zealand in Tampa might not give many England fans hope for a big tournament, but it was a moment to cherish for Rio Ngumoha.
The 17-year-old stepped onto the pitch to become the national team’s fifth-youngest debutant, offering an exciting glimpse of what the future holds under Thomas Tuchel.
Ngumoha Announces Himself on the International Stage
England were short on the right with Saka and Madueke coming back from the Champions League final, so the Liverpool youngster took his chance with both hands. Picking up Man of the Match, with the Three Lions still struggling to click in front of goal.
Jordan Pickford was full of praise for the youngster after the final whistle. "He was quality, nothing fazed him," Pickford said. "He’s had a really good season at Liverpool and the manager gave him his debut and he showed how good he is."
England might be able to freshen up the squad with a new crop of youngsters who could become vets by the time of the next tournament.
Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri, both 19, alongside 22-year-old Alex Scott, will all be desperately hoping to follow in Ngumoha's footsteps when Wednesday's friendly against Costa Rica rolls around.
Thomas Tuchel's Selection Revolution Continues
This pre-tournament camp has made one thing abundantly clear: Thomas Tuchel doesn't care about your brand value or what you've done before.
Seeing the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Harry Maguire completely excluded from this summer’s World Cup squad sent a clear message, but somehow Jordan Henderson survived.
"Every squad evolves," Pickford noted when asked about the high-profile omissions. "Even 2018, my first World Cup, we were six or seven or maybe eight at our first tournament. It’s unfortunate for the lads that don’t get picked, but I’m not the manager."
The Final Countdown before Kansas City
The England squad has already made the 200-mile trip back to their training base in West Palm Beach. For now, the preparations are continuing at a relatively laidback pace, with Tuchel allowing the players plenty of downtime to see family, hit the shops, or play a round of golf.
Once the squad flies out to Kansas City next weekend, the real pressure begins.
After Wednesday’s game against Costa Rica, the real work really starts with getting points on the board in the group. Playing probably the toughest game in Group L on paper first with Croatia, England's performance will show what team Tuchel has put his trust into or if there will be changes.
