5 Young English players who could get their first International call-up this week
It has been a successful year for England as far as International football is concerned. After years of what can only be described as abject failure, the Three Lions got the nation back on track with an impressive performance at the World Cup.
England reached the semi-finals at the World Cup in Russia, their most successful major tournament since the European Championships in 1996, and their best performance at a World Cup since 1990.
For many England fans, it was the first time they were able to believe that their team was good enough to challenge for major titles, and there was a real belief in England that football was coming home.
Obviously, football didn’t eventually come home, as England were beaten in the semi-finals by Croatia, who reached their first World Cup final. This was however seen as something for England to build on, as the squad was made up mainly of young players, who will only get better by the time the next European Championships come around in 2020.
There have been changes for England since the World Cup. Gary Cahill and Jamie Vardy have both made themselves unavailable for selection, signalling the end of their international careers.
There are some excellent young players available to Gareth Southgate ahead of selecting his squad for the upcoming fixtures with Spain and Switzerland, and there is a good chance they will be given the opportunity. Here are five young players who could be given their first international call-up.
#1 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)
Sessegnon is one of the top young players in England, if not Europe, at this point in time. The 18-year-old scored 15 goals in the Championship last season, as Fulham returned to the Premier League via the play-offs.
He also cleaned up as far as individual awards are concerned, picking up the Championship Player, and Young Player of the season awards. In the process, he also became the first Championship player to be nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
He certainly has all the attributes to succeed at the International level, and given how well he did when he came into the Fulham side at just 16, he won’t be fazed by the extra pressure of playing for his country. Something Gareth Southgate mustn’t do is use Sessegnon as a full-back.
He may have initially come through as a left-back, but he has shown over the last 12 months that his future lies as a left-winger, and his ability to get himself into a position to score goals, means it would be a waste using him in a defensive role.