There is a 23-year-old English midfielder who continues to have a fine season for both club and England. He made his debut for the Three Lions in the UEFA Nations League match against Greece last Thursday, November 14.
It was a debut Curtis Jones won’t forget as he has joined the exclusive club of footballers to score on their debut for the English national team by scoring the third goal of the match in the Three Lions’ resounding 3-0 victory. It was a beautiful backheel Jones scored with, which stamped his class as a player.
Jones played in a double-pivot for England:
Jones started alongside Conor Gallagher in England’s 4-2-3-1 in the absence of both Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo, who played in those positions at the European Championships last summer. Jones has played as the No. 10 in Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1 formation this season, with his performance against Chelsea being his best till now.
Jones has a goal and four assists from 13 matches for the Reds so far this season, which is an excellent return for a player who had primarily been used as a substitute prior to the start of the current season. He’s helped Liverpool achieve supreme form thus far this season.
Jones managed to rack up only 133 appearances for Liverpool in his previous six seasons with the club, but has already played in 13 matches this time around. His ability to both attack and defend has made him a very crucial player for the Reds. Arne Slot, Liverpool’s new manager, has also shown a lot of faith on the young midfielder so far.
However, his debut for the national side remains a breakthrough in his career. It is not easy to break into the starting XI of England these days. Hence, Jones should be really happy about that.
Jones should look forward to having a great future for both club and country:
Jones will have to contend with talented midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai for a place in the starting XI for Liverpool for the role of the No. 10. Alternately, he might play in the double pivot for his club, with Szoboszlai playing as the No. 10. In that case, either Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister will have to sit on the bench.
The scenario is equally tough for the set-up of the national team as well. Rice and Mainoo should be around for a long, long time and England also have players as good as Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer for the playmaker’s role.
In such circumstances, making one’s mark for the national team is going to be really tough. However, Jones is a good enough player to shine consistently at the topmost level, as he has been showing regularly of late.
It remains to be seen whether he remains firmly there in Thomas Tuchel’s scheme of things for the World Cup in 2026. England’s abundance of options might make Jones’ job a bit tougher, but he should be a good addition to the team nevertheless. As of now, it seems pretty certain that he will be there in the squad for the next World Cup should the Three Lions be able to qualify for it.