Assessed: Gareth Southgate’s 24 England debutants

Steven Chicken
Callum WIlson England Newcastle

Presented in chronological order, not in order of our arbitrary preference. Just in case you couldn’t tell from #2.

 

1. Jesse Lingard – Debuted on 8 October 2016 v Malta (aged 23)

The only man to be handed a debut in Gareth Southgate’s first game as England manager has gone on to become one of his most important players: only four players (Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Eric Dier, and Kyle Walker) have made more appearances under the current manager than Lingard’s 21.

Current record: 21 appearances, 3 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 11

 

2. Aaron Cresswell – Debuted on 15 November 2016 v Spain (aged 26)

His three appearances span over a year, though the West Ham man has also been named as an unused substitute on five occasions. With Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Danny Rose ahead of him in the pecking order, that will surely be that for the left-back.

Current record: 3 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

3. Michael Keane – Debuted on 22 March 2017 v Germany (aged 24)

First called up while at Burnley, Keane had to watch from the bench for six months before gaining his first cap in March last year. His indifferent form for Everton last season allowed Joe Gomez and Harry Maguire to get ahead of him in the pecking order, though he has been looking much more assured for his club lately, earning him a start in Thursday’s friendly against the USA.

Current record: 5 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 48

 

4. Nathan Redmond – Debuted on 22 March 2017 v Germany (aged 23)

The first and only cap for the Southampton man, who has other, more clearly-talented options ahead of him, pushing him well out of contention even for a squad place.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

5. James Ward-Prowse – Debuted on 22 March 2017 v Germany (aged 22)

See: Redmond, Nathan.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

6. Kieran Trippier – Debuted on 13 June 2017 v France (aged 26)

Scored in a World Cup semi-final just over a year after making his debut. Is first choice for his club, but looks destined to play second fiddle to a maturing Trent Alexander-Arnold for the next three or four years.

Current record: 16 appearances, 1 goal

Featured in latest squad? Withdrew with injury

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 12

 

7. Harry Maguire – Debuted on 8 October 2017 v Lithuania (aged 24)

Arguably the most successful of all the players Southgate took the gamble on. Scored his only England goal to date in a World Cup quarter-final this summer. Will definitely play if Southgate reverts to a back three, but he’s neck-and-neck with the younger Joe Gomez for a place alongside John Stones in a back four.

Current record: 16 appearances, 1 goal

Featured in latest squad? Withdrew with injury

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 2

 

8. Harry Winks – Debuted on 8 October 2017 v Lithuania (aged 21)

An impressive performer in Jordan Henderson’s absence against Spain last month. Is still young and will only get better under Mauricio Pochettino, but he’s not quite there yet.

Current record: 3 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 13

 

9. Jordan Pickford – Debuted on 10 November 2017 v Germany (aged 23)

It’s now hard to believe that just a few months ago, we weren’t even sure which goalkeeper would be Southgate’s first choice for the World Cup. Now Pickford is firmly established as the No.1, and barring an outright calamitous run of form or a serious injury, looks set to remain so for the next decade. Poor Jack Butland.

Current record: 14 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 5

 

10. Ruben Loftus-Cheek – Debuted on 10 November 2017 v Germany (aged 21)

The biggest surprise in Southgate’s squad for the World Cup, where injuries to Dele Alli gave the Chelsea man a number of opportunities. His career still feels very much in the balance, and will do until he becomes a regular starter at club level – whether at Chelsea or elsewhere.

Current record: 10 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 30

 

11. Tammy Abraham – Debuted on 10 November 2017 v Germany (aged 20)

Oh yeah, this guy. Now on loan at Aston Villa and reportedly doing well, with a Villa-supporting pal confirming he looks like a proper striker in the making, if still a little bit raw. Has time on his side, particularly since centre-forward is a bit of a problem position for England, with Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Callum Wilson the only non-injury-prone out-and-out strikers available to Southgate.

Current record: 2 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

12. Joe Gomez – Debuted on 10 November 2017 v Germany (aged 20)

Had any hopes of a World Cup placed dashed through an injury that also kept him out of the Champions League final. Gomez was in exceptional form for both Liverpool and England at the start of this season, and, at just 21 years old, looks like a real star of the future. 

Current record: 5 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 4

 

13. Jack Cork – Debuted on 10 November 2017 v Germany (aged 28)

One call-up, one cap, surely unlikely ever to play for England again. We’re beginning to notice a lot of so-so central midfielders in this list – probably because Dele Alli aside, Southgate’s options there are even more tepid than his temperament.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

14. Dominic Solanke – Debuted on 14 November 2017 v Brazil (aged 20)

Remember what we were just saying about central midfielders? Put Solanke’s name alongside Abraham’s, and you can see that the centre-forward options are equally shallow. Hasn’t made a single appearance for Liverpool this season – a January loan further down the table surely beckons. Despite his tender age, we wouldn’t be too surprised if we never saw him in an England shirt again.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: n/a

 

15. James Tarkowski – Debuted on 27 March 2018 v Italy (aged 25)

The man plucked from a Burnley defence that was very impressive this time last year but are now the second-most porous in the Premier League. Unlikely to break past Stones, Maguire or Gomez, and now has Keane back ahead of him too.

Current record: 2 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 21

 

16. Lewis Cook – Debuted on 27 March 2018 v Italy (aged 21)

Young, undoubtedly talented, and now starting regularly for the most surprisingly in-form side in the Premier League. Will surely get more opportunities in the near future, despite missing out on Southgate’s latest squad.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 37

 

17. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Debuted on 7 June 2018 v Costa Rica (aged 19)

Man of the match against the USA on Thursday, the Liverpool man earned his first call-up just in time to be included for the World Cup, where he made just one appearance (in the group stage dead-rubber against Belgium). If he continues the way he is going, he will be England’s first-choice right-back for years to come.

Current record: 5 appearances, 1 goal

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 25

 

18. Nick Pope – Debuted on 7 June 2018 v Costa Rica (aged 26)

So impressive for Burnley after filling in for an injured Tom Heaton that he took his place for both club and country. With Joe Hart now between the sticks at Turf Moor, though, Pope would need both a move and another excellent run of form to stand any chance of another England cap.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 27

 

19. Ben Chilwell – Debuted on 11 September 2018 v Switzerland (aged 21)

Southgate’s first post-World Cup debutant, Chilwell was only called up as a replacement after Danny Rose picked up an injury, but has played in every England game since, starting in the last three. Very much right place, right time for the left-back, who could yet establish himself as first choice in a position with lots of options but no clear frontrunner.

Current record: 4 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 18

 

20. Jadon Sancho – Debuted on 12 October 2018 v Croatia (aged 18)

Perhaps surprisingly, Southgate has only handed debuts to two teenagers: Alexander-Arnold, and Jadon Sancho. The winger has been a key player for Bundesliga-topping Borussia Dortmund, which will hopefully lead some of our other youngsters to consider finding a club abroad. Started against the USA and looks very much like the real deal.

Current record: 2 appearances, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 26

 

21. Nathaniel Chalobah – Debuted on 15 October 2018 v Spain (aged 23)

Born in Sierra Leone but now permanently tied to England after appearing in injury time in the 3-2 win against Spain last month. We suspect that’s the main reason he got his cap, having played just four minutes for Watford this season prior to making his Three Lions bow. He’s versatile and perfectly capable, so could end up taking Phil Jones’s ‘utility man’ spot in the team.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? No

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 20

 

22. Callum Wilson – Debuted on 15 November 2018 v USA (aged 26)

The joint-highest-scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season, with his six goals putting him alongside Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, and, erm, Glenn Murray. Would surely have made his debut a couple of years ago if it hadn’t been for two long-term knee injuries. A debut goal on Thursday didn’t hurt his chances of staying the squad for a while, especially with Danny Welbeck on the injured list again.

Current record: 1 appearance, 1 goal

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 39

 

23. Lewis Dunk – Debuted on 15 November 2018 v USA (aged 26)

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 35

 

24. Alex McCarthy – Debuted on 15 November 2018 v USA (aged 28)

Sure.

Current record: 1 appearance, 0 goals

Featured in latest squad? Yes

Last F365 Euro 2020 Ladder rank: 23

 

Steven Chicken